When Fire Burns With Water
by HollyJaneElizabeth
Summary: The promised peace only lasted so long. With destruction and revolution threatening to plunge the kingdoms back into chaos, Zuko and Katara must figure out their part to play in the defeat of a far greater evil lurking in the shadows. M in later chapters
1. The Second Beginning

_**Chapter One: The Second Beginning **_

The first year after the final battle had passed peacefully. The young Fire Lord had endeavoured to pay the appropriate reparations, make the correct apologies and had stood as a sign of hope for the Fire Nation. Even the three other nations, wary as they were, began to relax under the reassuring justice of Zuko's rule.

The friends had departed. Aang readily followed Katara back to the Southern Water Tribe's home in the South Pole. Sokka, equally as besotted as Aang, had practically stalked Suki home to Kyoshi Island and even Toph, despite protestations of boredom, had settled into a courtier's life with her parents.

Others, too, had taken their leave, though friends would never be an appropriate term for them. The old Fire Lord, Ozai, the cruel instigator of the war, destroyed by his inability to fire bend, had been found hanging from the ceiling of his cell by a knotted robe mere weeks after his defeat at the hand of the Avatar.

As for Azula, little was heard of her. For the majority, she was believed to have gone completely crazy (if she wasn't before), turned by the sudden death of father and her complete loss of power. For a trusted few: the guards posted twenty-four hours a day at her cell, Uncle Iroh, Zuko and Mai, her old friend and Zuko's lover; Azula was as dangerous as ever. From time to time they would visit the broken princess in her cell, sometimes she would ignore their presence entirely but at others she would talk. Azula, once the most powerful fire bender in the world, would hiss her curses through the 3 inch thick glass that separated her from her visitor. Spit would dribble out of her mouth as she tore her hair in clumps from her head. Had her few visitors not been privy to her raging tantrums they too may have believed she was the witless, defenceless girl everyone else believed, or perhaps hoped, she was. The truth was far more sobering. Her bending was powerful as ever and, proven by the numerous carefully devised escape attempts in the first month of her imprisonment, she still had her cunning.

So life continued, as few had dared hope it would. People were happy and life seemed idyllic. For the first year.

Without warning, the utopia the Avatar and his friends had so carefully crafted began to rip apart at the seams.

First came the famine. Food was scarce, certainly, but there would have been enough to sustain all of the kingdoms if only the peace of the last year had overcome the long-learned selfishness from the war. The Earth Kingdom was reluctant to grant rations to the Fire Nation having suffered at their hands for so long. They quickly forgot Zuko's earnest apologies and though the Avatar desperately entreated them to be kind, their bitterness ran too deep. The Water Tribes were more forgiving but their frozen environment rendered little enough food for themselves.

Then came the rebellions. A starving Fire Nation found unity in their pain and rose against their Fire Lord's request for calm. Foreigners in the Fire Nation were regularly attacked by bandits, rebel militia groups launched attacks on the coasts of the Earth Kingdom and the Earth Kingdom retaliated.

Last of all came the disease. It became known as the Fever of Life. Its victims, fit one day, would suddenly drop to the ground the next in a deep slumber. The slumber lasted four days until, as suddenly as the sleep, the victim would rise, vibrant and full of life. The colour would return to their skin and even the aged would be stronger and more energetic than they had even been before despite the raging fever battling within them. This final lease of life lasted a hope inducing thirteen days before the victim would stop whatever they were doing and die soundlessly, dropping to their knees as if to pray before slumping onto the harsh ground. No one was safe. Even the nobles, with the best healers their gold could buy, suffered their share of losses. Funerals across the nations were a daily occurrence and eventually, when space became a luxury, each nation turned, one by one, to the harsh reality of mass graves.

It was a cruel time to be alive when everyone feared to die. Crueler still after such a promising year of peace. The Earth Kingdom turned to old magic, trusting the movement of rocks and trees to give them answers. The Water Tribes looked to the Aurora, seeking hope in its dancing lights. The Fire Nation called on their oracle. Zuko was sceptical, he believed himself to be a man of logic and disliked the false hopes raised by this narcotised young woman. Soon, though, the cry of the people became too loud to ignore and he made the long trek to the home of the oracle and her keepers.

The oracle lived on a small Island on the far side of the fire nation called Kāi Míng, the journey was safe enough but covered a great distance. Councillors begged Zuko not to go, to leave his throne empty for so long could be dangerous in such treacherous times but Zuko's hands were tied; the oracle answered only to the Fire Lord or Lady of the time. He had to go.

After weeks of travelling at the Fire Lord arrived at Kāi Míng, safe excepting a few skirmishes with rebels. He was greeted at the door by one of the keepers, a frail old woman wrapped in layer upon layer of burgundy fabric despite the constant heat of the Fire Nation. She bowed low before her Lord but kept her serious eyes fixed on his face the whole time. She spoke with a heavy accent retained from times long gone. Keepers of the Oracle, along with the Oracle itself, were selected at birth and raised on the remote island by the Keepers they were destined to replace, as few as five people at a time in the entire world might speak the dead language of the Oracle. They would train for years in the art of translation, a bitter training with harsh punishments and few rewards. Oracles and Keepers alike were only ever women; the magnificent beauty of the Oracle juxtaposed against the seemingly innate scowl of the Keepers. Zuko found the whole affair slightly barbaric. The sombre atmosphere of the island made any outsider feel ill at ease immediately as they set one foot on its soil; Zuko was all too aware of how very alone this island was.

The Keepers used words sparingly and so wasted none on small talk, in silence Zuko was lead to the inner court. The court was undeniably mystical. A thick mist hovered above the ground despite the clear night sky above, lights glowed in the corners without any apparent source and then, in the very middle, surrounded by a ring of blue fire, there was the Oracle. Zuko, sceptical as he was, couldn't help but gasp at the beauty of the young girl. She could have been no older than him but she somehow looked ageless, timeless. Her hair flowed, black as night, about her shoulders and seemed to glitter as if the stars themselves had chosen her as a worthier canvas. Her eyes burned an unnatural red matched only by the colour of her lips and black swirls and markings curled their way down the left side of her face. Lying on the floor, barely covered by her simple red dress, legs and arms stretch awkwardly, she looked like some broken angel. Despite the attention Zuko paid to the girl, she took no heed of him.

They waited.

After standing silently for half an hour Zuko grew impatient. He was just about to demand the Keeper make the girl speak but as soon as he opened his mouth the Keeper raised her hand and put her finger to her lips before pointing to the scene before them.

The smoke from the incense, once drifting aimlessly around the court, now seemed to localise its attentions to the helpless creature on the floor. It swirled around her, almost wrapping itself in ribbons about her form until suddenly the girl arched her back with a gasp. Her hands clawed at the floor and her eyes widened, she panted for breath and Zuko stepped forward to help her, again he was stopped by the Keeper's raised hand.

"_Essensio direy calahna _

_Inshka hassen, Amahteh elka._

_Ma dio isonah vincensio alanah_

_Tes Passiah ignorsa es Sooneh, laure eela."_

The girl dropped to the ground. Unseen Keepers hurried from dark corners to carry the girl to some hidden chamber, Zuko looked to the one who had lead him to the Oracle. He found the old woman on her knees muttering to herself while drawing shapes with her finger in the sand. Zuko stared at the drawing, trying to make sense of it since the woman seemed in no rush to talk. He could make out a smooth shape, like a tear drop in the centre of the drawing, the shape was surrounded by what looked like curling flames. So focused on the drawing was he, that Zuko didn't notice the woman now looking intently at him. She peered inquisitively into his eyes before taking a deep breath and intoning solemnly the words of the Oracle.

_"The Shadows are calling Chaos to hand._

_An Enemy will rise, Friends must stand,_

_But two alone will win the fight,_

_When Fire burns with Water, there will be light."_

She paused but just as Zuko was about to vent his frustration at the cryptic rhyme she spoke again.

"You're time is running out Fire Lord Zuko, in one year the planets will align and your enemy will strike. Walls will not keep this monster out nor arms defeat it, you must find the cure. The Oracle gave you this to help you' she pointed to the drawing on the ground, 'go now, you're losing time standing here.' And with those words, the woman left.

Zuko stormed from the building but allowed himself the satisfaction of an enraged scream only once he was far enough away that no one would hear. The Keepers were meant to translate the Oracle but Zuko had more questions than ever. His only hope was that the monks at the Fire Nation's Temple would shine more light on this promised 'cure'.

_

* * *

__(A.N. Ok, so I know this was a pretty boring chapter but I had to get the background in and I really wanted the first actual speech to come from the Oracle since she really is where the story begins. Have faith, though, it WILL get better (I hope) and I'll get the next chapter up very, very soon. Promise. More to the point, though, THANK YOU for reading and a review would be really amazing too since I know I have a lot to work on._

_p.s. Guess which movie I've been watching recently.)_


	2. Answers

**_Chapter Two: Answers_**

"A firework display. Essentially, you are suggesting that in order to cure all of the problems in my kingdom - I should organist a firework display?"

"My lord, you are misunderstanding! Not a firework display as such, the sparks would only be a side effect, but if we combine the right chemicals then we could, in fact, turn water into a fuel! 'Fire burns with water'! You see, my lord!?"

Zuko was unimpressed. It had been two weeks since he returned from the Oracle, he had lost two weeks and according to the girl he had only fifty-two in total. The monks' efforts had been consistently uninspired as they desperately through ideas out in an attempt to appease their irate Fire Lord. Zuko was a good man now but he was no less impatient especially when time was limited. The poor monk in front of him was one of the youngest and visibly the most scared of his leader. The man's shaking eased Zuko's temper, however slightly, he would not rule by fear.

"Keep trying. Report to me immediately if you come up with anything worthwhile."

And with that stern order, Zuko turned on his heels and stormed out of the temple, crashing the heavy wooden doors open. Monks and Oracles, it was all far too unreliable for his liking and yet he was unable to discredit the Oracle's words, as puzzling as they were.

_Fire burns with water…_

A child of mixed blood? But where was Zuko going to find someone like that, and even if he did could he really drag a child into this mess? Worn out by his efforts he went to find Mai, seeking comfort in the arms of his lover.

He eventually found her sitting alone in the gardens. She was undeniably beautiful, her sleek black hair hung perfectly in its normal style, her slender arms screamed 'grace' even when still and her eyes had the same glow as the setting sun. And yet…for just one silent moment… Zuko was disappointed. The beauty around her; the cherry blossoms on their lithe branches, the water glistening in the dying light, the simple freshness of the grass, it all served to enhance her beauty and yet somehow she still looked bored. Zuko remembered the times when he had seen true emotion on his fiancée's face - they were few and far between. He wished that for once she…but what did it matter? He loved her and she returned his love. They were engaged. And happy. They were happy.

The weary king slumped onto the bench next to his lover, leaning his head back to look at the fading sun in its red embrace with the night. He sighed.

"Any further with the prophecy?" Mai asked, her tone uninterested as ever.

"The monks suggest we literally burn water with chemicals and powders. It's an old trick used for fireworks and other such amusements, somehow I doubt it's what the Oracle was saying we needed.' Zuko furrowed his brow resting his fingers on his temple, heating them slightly to ease the burgeoning headache. Mai sat stoically by his side, not making the slightest attempt to offer the comfort he had sought her out for.

"You'll figure it out"

"Will I? We've been hunting for two weeks. I've torn the library apart looking for clues, the monks barely sleep, I barely sleep! The rebels are getting worse and the fever of life seems to be choosing its victims even quicker than before. At this rate, Mai, even if I do figure it out I won't have a Fire Nation left to lead!" he shouted.

Without realising it, he had risen during his speech and walked a few paces away from her. He had expected to feel safe in her presence, even just for a second. He had expected sympathy and understanding, to be held and comforted. Mai sat still and silent. They both stared at each other; Zuko's face barely disguising the irritation he felt, her's cool and collected, empty. The blandness on her beautiful face stunned Zuko, he was talking about their nation dying. She was his future queen and yet she showed no compassion or readiness to help, even to take an interest.

"Do you feel _anything,_ Mai, ever!?"

As soon as the question was out of his mouth he regretted it. He didn't want to look at her, didn't want to see the pain he had caused with such a callous remark. He had to though, when the silence dragged on, he made himself look her in the eye to apologise.

"Mai, I'm…"

But what he saw made him freeze. He almost wanted to see hurt when he looked up, not that he wanted to cause it but just so she could prove him wrong, just so he would know she did feel. _Anything._ She was blank. Devoid of any emotion. Was this the woman he had loved since they were children? Was this the woman he had readily dropped to his knee for?

Mai waited for an answer, boredom written neatly across her face.

Zuko left.

He had too many problems on his plate as it was at the moment without being dragged into an in depth exploration of his feelings. He was just stressed. He was overreacting because of the pressure of his position. Of course he loved Mai. Of course.

Lord Iroh walked into the Library with the intention of researching the old ways of brewing tea. On entering, however, his mission changed as he saw his nephew slumped over an open book in the centre of the room fast asleep. Piles of books and scrolls, letters and documents lay about him - some opened and marked, others hadn't been touched in centuries. He walked closer, touching the corner of the book his son was lying on: a book on symbolism, still hunting for the true meaning behind the Oracle's words then. Iroh took a deep breath. For a while now he had had an inkling as to the Oracle's design but had dreaded suggesting his idea to his stubborn nephew. Sighing, he sat down in the chair opposite. It was dark outside and the palace was silent in slumber, the only sounds were of Iroh stirring his tea and the gentle crackle of the fire but this was enough to wake the Fire Lord. His head shot up, muscles tensing all over his tired body. He scanned the room urgently before his eyes came to rest on the worried face of his uncle, relaxing he groaned and rested his head back on his arms.

"What time is it?" the weary voice emerging from Zuko's arms asked.

"A little after one." Iroh replied softly, "Zuko, why have I found you sleeping in the library?"

"I was just trying to find some answers, Uncle, it came to me that perhaps fire and water were just symbols for other things? Maybe we're taking it all too literally?" he explained quickly. Looking up into his uncle's eyes, however, he realised he was clutching at straws.

"I don't know Uncle. I've read book after book, scroll after scroll. I've consulted monks, hermits, masters of lost languages and ideas. I didn't even believe in the word of the Oracle before and now the damned thing is all I can think of!" Zuko stood up in his agitation and began to pace around the library.

Seeing the power in his stride, the strength in his clenched fists - Iroh realised how much his young nephew had grown since that long ago time of his banishment. He could only hope that this new maturity could handle what Iroh had realised he must tell him.

"Nephew, your father had no time for the arts. So few of our stories lived through the war. Were you ever told stories as a boy?"

Exasperated by his Uncle's distraction, Zuko was forced to take a long breath before he answered, 'Uncle, what can this possibly ha-"

"Potentially everything, my nephew, my story could be the answer you are looking for so please, answer me, were you ever told stories as a boy?"

Zuko sighed, he always trusted in the wisdom of his Uncle but it was frustrating how long it took him to get to a point. "My mother told me some, before she disappeared. Other than that, no, I was not told any stories."

"I suspected as much. And did your mother ever tell you the story of The Prince and The Peasant?"

Zuko thought, reliving memories of his mother was painful, only reminding him of his failed attempts to find her, "No, no she didn't."

"Ahhh, then the pleasure, it appears, will be mine. Sit down, Zuko, relax, you're making me restless." Zuko reluctantly reclaimed his seat. "Now listen, and see if you can understand."

"_This story begun long, long before you or even I had any place on this earth. The Fire Nation have always been a proud nation, we were not always as cruel as some people would believe but we have always had our pride. The prince at the time was about your age, a fine Fire Bender and set to be a fine Fire Lord some day. His father worried, however, his son was too old to be alone any longer, he needed a bride, the woman who would one day become the Fire Lady. _

'_Surely', thought the father, 'surely I can not leave such an important decision to my son. The choice will affect the whole Fire Nation. I will find someone appropriate for my son and my kingdom.'_

_And so it was decided, the prince's destiny already belonged to the Fire Nation and now so would the woman he shared it with. The woman chosen was the daughter of the richest, most powerful noble. She was a beautiful being, perhaps the most beautiful in the whole of the Fire Nation but she was cold inside, empty. Her face was a constant show of boredom no matter what trifles or amusements she was presented with. The prince, always trying to please his father, made the very best of efforts to cheer the girl, showering her with gifts and attention. But to no avail. She was wonderful to look at but little else. The beautiful face was only a mask for the stone statue behind it. _

_The night before their wedding, celebrations were held throughout the nation. The King himself had organised for a troupe of travelling circus folk from the southern water tribe to entertain the wedding party and their guests over a sumptuous supper._

_The clowns came on; falling over each other for the amusement of the audience, fitting unbelievable numbers into the smallest tent possible to the astonishment of their viewers and playfully squirting their enamoured crowd with water._

_The prince's stone fiancée remained still. _

_Next came the magician; pulling bouquets from his pockets, conjuring gold coins from behind young children's ears and other such tricks._

_Still, the soon to be princess stared blankly on._

_Jugglers issued not even a smile. Acrobats - not even a gasp. _

_Finally, the ring went dark as the fires surrounding it were put out. A single light was lit above, creating a spotlight in the centre of the ring. The ringmaster stepped into his temple and hushed the confused audience. He had saved, he promised, the best for last. Gone, was the echoing boom he had used for a voice earlier, Gone were the flourishing hands and playful smirks. This act would speak for itself._

'_Ladies and gentlemen,' he whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, 'I give you The Enchantress.'_

_Again the room went dark. The audience held their breath, trusting in the quiet words of the announcer. From the centre of the ring a blue glow began to appear and after a few seconds, the audience could identify within the haze that a young woman stood there. Her eyes were cast downwards, her long brown hair falling in her face, her hands held loose at her side. She wore a sheer robe of blue that just revealed a woman's form beneath it. Her skin seemed to sparkle and though the prince searched he could not discover what mechanism the blue light issued from, it simply came from her. Slowly her eyes opened and her head slowly moved up until her eyes were in line with the young prince's, seeming to burn into his very soul with their ice blue stare. _

_She began to dance. Weaving a pattern across the floor. The audience were suddenly very aware of why her name was The Enchantress as men and women alike tried and failed to tear their eyes from her. She came to a stop in the centre of the room and the room burst into applause. With a small satisfied smile she raised a finger to her lips, beckoning for silence. The captivated audience immediately dropped to a hush. Without a word she rose a hand in front of her, elegance stretching to the very tip of her slightly bent finger. One by one the audience gasped as they realised what was happening._

_Water bending hadn't been seen in the Fire Nation. The only people who had ever seen it at all were the few who had ventured away from home. The prince hadn't left the Fire Nation even once. The girl drew water from a small pouch at her side and began her seductive dance again, weaving the water in circles up and around her body, making rain drops glitter around her while she stayed completely dry. _

_She began to spin, throwing ice up to the ceiling as she went where it sparkled like stars in the dark, rainbows of light cascading off them like crystals. She span closer and closer to the main table, to the prince, finally stopping at the steps before him. The room froze, guards subconsciously tensed but did not step toward the bewitching young water bender. She ran the water along her limbs and over her fingers before guiding it back into her pouch. When this was done she began to walk wordlessly up the stairs, her hips swaying from side to side with every step. Everyone watched. She reached the prince and stood before him. Slowly he stood up, knowing it to be the right thing to do. The Enchantress ran a finger along his jaw with tantalising slowness, never once taking her eyes from his. He instinctively wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her to him. Then, before the whole court, his family and his fiancée, they kissed. _

_The moment their lips touched light flooded the darkness. The blue glow that had encapsulated the slight girl now burned a brilliant white and contained both herself and the prince. The hall just watched, too stunned to move. The only person who reacted was the stone princess. Though the prince did not see it, she showed the sign of emotions he had so craved initially; her lip curled into a sneer. _

_But the prince no longer cared, from the second he had seen her he had known he belonged entirely to the enchantress and she to him. The couple married despite her water tribe background and she became the most loved Fire Lady the Fire Nation has ever had. Together they ruled with justice and power, love and passion, fire and water. _

_And in the Fire Nation, there was light."_

Iroh sat back, satisfied with his telling of the story before almost immediately remembering the purpose and glancing at his nephew, expecting rage at his indulgence in story telling. Instead he saw the young man deep in though, brow furrowed against his fists, eyes flicking from side to side as if reading the story again, looking for meaning. Uncle Iroh remained silent, hoping Zuko would reach his only conclusions. Eventually, he spoke.

"Uncle, I think I understand what you're suggesting" Zuko muttered through gritted teeth, though the anger was not directed at his uncle, he was infuriated with himself for the way he had personalised the characters. The way he couldn't stop comparing Mai to the stone princess and the water bending girl to… 'Enough.' he scolded in his thoughts, 'You will not think of her anymore'

"Is this little fairytale really your answer to the Oracle's prophesy?"

"My answer, nephew, is already on her way."

* * *

_(A.N. So Katara's finally coming now! Really sorry to Mai fans but the truth is, I can't stand her. Hope you enjoyed this a bit more than the first chapter, if you did a review would be great and if you didn't then a review would be helpful. I promise there WILL be some actual Zutara SOON! I want to write it as badly as you guys want to read it. As always, thanks for reading!)_


	3. Closer

_**Chapter 3: Closer**_

Katara stood at the bough of the Fire Nation ship sent to escort her to Zuko's palace. For the hundredth time she wished she knew why she was so urgently required and for the hundredth time she wished someone could have come with her. Her father was needed at home and with all the chaos Aang rarely stayed in one place for an entire day, instead he flitted from kingdom to kingdom trying to calm the growing antagonism. Katara bitterly wondered whether she wasn't important enough for Aang to take just a week out of his schedule to spend with her. Immediately she was washed with shame for thinking such a petty thing, she knew better than anyone how hard Aang was working, how much pressure was on his shoulders.

"You're a big girl now, Katara," she admonished, "start acting like one."

With a fresh look of determination masking her fear she turned her face to the biting wind - allowing it to throw her hair away from her face, press her clothes against her. Who knew how long she would be needed in the dry Fire Nation and she wanted to savour the feel of the breeze on her skin. Uncle Iroh's message had pleaded with her to come as soon as possible; fearing for Zu… the Fire Nation's safety, she had set out that very day. They'd been travelling a week now and had just entered Earth Kingdom waters, the atmosphere on board was tense and Katara couldn't help notice the lack of insignia on this particular ship, its plain grey metal, its deliberate inconspicuousness.

'So the situation between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom really is that bad?' she mused quietly.

Feeling small prickles of fear travel down her spine, she quickly manipulated the waters in the boat's favour, the tide pushing the boat towards its destination, towards safety. She hoped.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Fire Nation, the powerful Fire Lord was feeling the same sensation of fear. His Uncle had endured three outbursts just that morning and the servants were already trying to scrub the scorch marks of the wall of the training ground. Currently, he was meant to be leading the council meet but had spent so much of the time pacing around the chamber, paying no attention to the content of the discussions that eventually the councillors and advisors had warily crept past their enraged leader and gone home.

Though he'd never admit it to anyone, the anger was a cover for the fear he felt at the thought of Katara's imminent arrival. How stupid could his uncle have been to have acted on his absurd suggestion? Even without the fact that the basic plan was ridiculous, he had sent a fire nation boat through Earth kingdom waters. He trusted his men to give the coast as wide a berth as was possible but he knew they could still easily be spotted. If they could be spotted then they could easily be attacked. If they were attacked then who knew what the consequences would be; the boat could be destroyed, his men could be wounded, Katara could…

His heartbeat began to race at that thought. Fear turning his blood to ice, his pacing ceased as he ran his hands through his dark hair. It was selfish to admit but he could endure the loss of a boat, even the loss of his men. But the loss of Katara?

Zuko was well aware that it was madness to think of the young water bender like that. He had spent many sleepless nights since his Uncle's revelation trying to reason with himself. After all, he hadn't seen the girl in over a year - how much would she have changed? And anyway, she was in love with Aang, the avatar.

"Trust her to be with the only person that can trump being a Fire Lord." he muttered to himself.

No. No bitterness. It wasn't important anyway. He was with Mai. He loved Mai. Katara was just a friend. But a voice at the back of his head wouldn't keep silent - something had made him throw himself in front of her when Azula had unleashed that lightning bolt. Agni, that felt like a lifetime ago. But anyone would do that for a friend, right?

How had a girl he hadn't seen in over a year managed to infiltrate his thoughts so suddenly? Again that voice spoke up, reminding him that hadn't she always been there? Whether he admitted it or not - he hadn't gone a day since joining Aang's team without thinking about her.

Grimly he remembered the reason Katara was coming to the Fire Nation at all. After learning of his Uncle's plan would she ever even talk to him again. And Mai? What on earth was Mai going to think!? His thoughts were too jumbled to come up with any answers to the mess, with a groan of frustration he threw open the chamber doors and stormed to the freshly scrubbed training ground to vent some more.

* * *

_(A.N. I know, I know - that's a stupidly short chapter. It was just to give some emotional back story. Never fear! I'm writing the next chapter while this uploads so it'll be up in a couple of hours max.)_


	4. A Bittersweet Reunion

_**Chapter 4: A Bittersweet Reunion**_

The day had come. Katara was due to arrive any minute now. A messenger hawk had been sent ahead of the crew to inform Zuko of their safe passage through Earth Kingdom waters and their expected arrival in less than an hour. Zuko sat nervously on the steps next to his throne. Whenever people were around he knew he was expected to sit with dignity on the golden chair but on his own it just felt pompous and unnecessary. He had spent too many years as a banished prince to adopt every element of grandeur now.

Everything about him at that moment, from his constantly tapping foot to his clenched jaw, revealed his internal anguish. Katara was an old friend, yes, but while there had been letters back and forth they still hadn't seen each other in over a year. And now she was coming to the palace so he could change her life forever and she didn't even know it. This knowledge made him even more unsure of himself. He'd practiced greetings and welcomes over and over in his room last night but couldn't find anything suitable. What was the correct level of cordiality? Did Katara expect him to remain aloof, to act as Fire Lord rather than her friend? Or did she expect hugs and smiles? Zuko couldn't remember ever feeling so uncertain about something so simple before in his life. He didn't like it.

The door opened. Zuko's head shot up to see who had entered - only his uncle.

"Yes, uncle?" he asked wearily

"Nephew, it's time."

Zuko jumped to his feet, running towards the door before stopping just as suddenly. Should he go to greet his men and their special delivery? Or wait till they were brought to him? He looked to his uncle for answers

"Go to them, Zuko, she will thank you for the greeting." he reassured his nephew "I will come with you" he added as a last ditch attempt to sooth the young man's nerves.

And so the two men went to welcome the young water bender into the kingdom of fire. Iroh's calm steps contrasting his nephew's - one moment rushing impatiently forward, the next stalling.

"Breathe, Zuko. Just breathe. Perhaps I should arrange for some tea?"

"I don't want tea, Uncle" Zuko growled through gritted teeth. He had to calm down, it would do no good to see Katara for the first time in this frame of mind. He took his uncle advice ; stopped, closed his eyes and breathed. He cleared his mind as best he could and focused on the feel of breath rushing into his lungs and then slowly out. One last slow exhale and he felt ready…readier to meet his guest.

As he approached the main doors to his palace, the guards opened them for him and light streamed into the corridor. The day had come.

Standing at the bottom of the courtyard he could just about make out a slim figure in blue. The figure peered in his direction then waved before walking confidently forward. The closer she came, the more Zuko could see of her through the glare of the sun. What he saw almost shook him off balance. Katara was no longer the young girl he remembered. She was, in every aspect, a woman. Zuko's eyes raked over the flowing curves of her body, curves he did not remember being there before. Her hair flowed freely down her back, the familiar waves longer than he remembered and without the childish loopies. Her legs seemed to have lengthened and her hips swayed from side to side giving a seductive edge to the natural elegance of her walk. For one second, Zuko questioned if it was even her but as she came closer he was able to look into her bewitching ice-blue eyes and saw within them the same fire that he had admired in the past. So focused was he on his appreciation of her transformation that he didn't notice that she was now a mere two feet away, peering at him curiously.

"….Zuko?" she looked to Uncle Iroh who simply shrugged his shoulders before waving in the Fire Lord's face, "Hey Zuko! Anyone alive in there?"

Suddenly snapping to attention Zuko tried to regroup his senses and stammered out a feeble "uh…yeah…sorry, hi." he coughed awkwardly, "Hello Katara. Welcome to the Fire Nation, I trust you had a good journey?" he said with more confidence as he offered his hand for her to shake.

Katara looked at his hand, then back to his face curiously. Zuko, feeling hugely uncomfortable under her intense scrutiny began to worry that there was something on his face and reached to touch his cheek nervously. His discomfort finally eased the situation as Katara burst out laughing, shooed his hand out of the way and threw her arms around him in a hug. Zuko, dismayed, simply stood there, hands limply looped around her waist.

Still giggling she joyfully mocked "Hey, Fire Lord, is my friend Zuko home?" and Zuko felt them slip back into the comfortable familiarity of friends. Yes, friends. But even that thought didn't stop him tightening his grip around her waist and subtly smelling the salty tang of the sea in her hair. Unfortunately, it was not so subtle that the ever-observant Iroh missed it. The old man allowed himself a small smile before shooing everyone inside to give the two 'friends' time to reacquaint themselves.

Withdrawing from the embrace, Katara looked around to realise the two of them were alone. Refusing to allow awkwardness to creep back into this reunion she opted for a joke again.

"Well then it looks like the guided tour is down to you." she laughed.

"Don't you want to rest first?" she'd been on a long journey and though Zuko found he did not want to part from her, he worried she may be weary.

"Zuko," she eyed him seriously, "I've spent two weeks sitting on a metal boat. If anyone makes me stay in the same place for a prolonged period of time again I'm going to water bend them into a new polar ice cap."

"Well then, we'd best start soon since I quite like my human form." Zuko began to lead the way to the newly reinstated Fire Nation gardens, determined that, for as long as possible, he would let this easy friendship continue. The dark part of his brain, though, reminded him of the reason Katara was here and he knew that it was only so long before she started to ask questions.

Walking along a gravel path they emerged through a gateway crafted out of a tall hedge into the gardens. Katara stared around in wonderment. The Fire Nation she remembered had been an homage to machinery, the horizon made up of one war factory after another. She'd always thought of it as a dead, hard place. This Fire Nation, Zuko's Fire Nation, was entirely different. The garden they had entered was luscious and green and so very alive. Vines hung from tall trees, exotic flowers coated every hedge and patch of grass. Even the slightest of breezes sent a flurry of cherry blossoms drifting their way to the ground. Running forward she danced playfully beneath the snowfall of flowers. Zuko watched from a distance as the delicate blossoms stuck to her hair and joy shined in her eyes, softening them. Not for the first time, he marvelled at how beautiful she was. Abruptly, he shook his head, trying to shake the very thoughts from his mind and went to join her.

"Zuko, this place is so beautiful, it's not like the Fire Nation at all, it's like you've created an entirely different world!" she beamed at him.

Zuko smiled back but there was a sadness to his smile and Katara remembered what the situation really was in the Fire Nation where the pandemics hitting everyone seemed to have struck worse. She began to apologise for being so inconsiderate but was stopped by Zuko shaking his head, the smile becoming more genuine.

"Come, I'm still wary of becoming an ice cap, let's continue the grand tour."

He led her through garden after garden. Occasionally she would stop for a moment - to play with fishes or admire a flower but mainly they just walked and talked - recapping each other on the events of the time spent apart. Though neither would admit or even notice it, they visibly bristled every time the other mentioned their partner.

"Mai and I, as you've probably heard, are engaged." Katara's smile was just a little off.

"I do worry that Aang's putting too much pressure on himself to fix everything." Zuko changed the topic.

But aside from those small moments of jealousy, conversation flowed easily and Zuko realised his earlier worries were entirely unnecessary. Eventually, after making their way around the entire palace and all it's grounds they ended up in the centre - the Agni Kai arena. Its significance was heavily reduced under Zuko's rule and was more often spoke of as a training ground - the memories, however stayed and conversation ceased as the two young adults looked around them, remembering their last time here together.

"Do you…"

"I remember" Katara interrupted. "I still have nightmares sometimes," she blushed at the confession of a weakness and hurriedly assured him "only sometimes! But they're still there."

"I wouldn't have made it out of that alive if it wasn't for you. You were beyond brave. It's ok to be frightened sometimes." he reassured her.

She scoffed at his praise, "I would have been a pile of ash if it wasn't for you, Zuko! You took a lightning bolt that was meant for me, or did you forget that part?"

"Forget? How could I, I've still got the scar!" he laughed and suddenly the tension was, once again, eased. This time however, it was only momentarily. Katara's face lost its smile and she looked at him seriously.

"Zuko, why am I here?"

His breath caught in his throat. He had hoped to postpone this moment just a little longer. No, he had hoped to postpone it indefinitely, he had hoped he wouldn't even have to ask this of her. He considered his options, trying to create ways to avoid admitting his Uncle's reasons for dragging her here. Turning to look at her face though, seeing the gentle patience in her eyes, he realised he owed her the truth.

"Katara, you know the state of my kingdom at the moment. To be blunt - it's dire and I've almost run out of ways to fix it. We have an old form of prophecy here, the Oracle." he looked over to her, assessing from her reaction whether or not he needed to explain any further. She nodded her head quickly, reassuring him she knew what it was and silently requesting he continue the story.

"I never believed in the power of the Oracle but my people do and I had to go, for them. She foretold of a greater evil coming, something even worse than anything we've encountered so far. We have one year."

He recited the riddle of the Oracle to her, still holding on to the hope that she might have an answer they hadn't already thought of. She just stared at him puzzled.

"So…what does that mean, what are you meant to do? I don't understand what any of this has to do with me."

He took another deep breath, steeling himself for the next explanation.

"Do you know the story of The Prince and The Peasant?" he couldn't help but chuckle as his uncle's words came back to him. Hadn't he scolded the old man for supposedly veering off topic at the time?

"Zuko, I don't get what a story has to do with any of this."

"Just listen Please?"

Obediently she settled herself down against one of the tall stone pillars at the side and waited for Zuko to begin his story. Zuko glanced up at the sky, now dark and littered with twinkling stars. In any other situation this might be romantic but the sentiment was missing here as Zuko prepared to ask something so extreme of the beautiful young woman in front of him, Katara, his friend.

With a sigh, Zuko began his story.

"…_And Together they ruled with justice and power, love and passion, fire and water. _

_And in the Fire Nation, there was light."_

Again, he heard himself echoing his Uncle's words, maybe he listened to the old man more than he realised. Tentatively. He looked over at Katara to see if she'd gauged his meaning as he'd hoped. Her brow was furrowed in thought and she seemed unaware of his eyes studying her features. Eventually, she looked up to meet his stare.

"I know I'm meant to understand but I'm drawing a blank here, Zuko. What does the story have to do with the Oracle's message? And what does any of it have to do with me?"

So he would have to explain after all. He turned away from her, not wanting her to see the uncertainty, the fear, in his eyes, "Katara…" he trailed off, trying to find the strength to permanently alter both of their lives, "Katara, I need you to be The Enchantress for me. I need us to restore light to the Fire Nation, to everyone. Katara…I need you to agree to marry me." He spun around to face her, too see how much she hated him. Instead, he saw her retreating figure fleeing into the darkness, fleeing from him.

* * *

_(A.N. So it's out, Zuko's revealed the grand plan and Katara hasn't handled it so well - can't really blame her though. All this back story is annoying me now, sorry about that, so we're going to get into some real and lovely Zutaraness SOON. Thanks for reading!)_


	5. What Now?

_**Chapter 5: What Now?**_

Katara only came to a stop once she was far away from the inner palace, clutching at the stitch in her side and breathing heavily. Apparently a year away from danger had wreaked havoc with her fitness. In her panicked haste she had run without a thought as to a destination, looking around her she realised she had ended up on one of the Fire Nation's renowned beaches. The bright and clear sky of morning she had arrived to Zuko's palace under was gone. Evening had settled in and with it the promise of a storm. Great, foreboding clouds swirled across the faint crescent moon and the air hung thick and heavy around her. Even as she briefly considered racing the rain back to the palace the heavens opened and drop after drop of water splashed onto Katara's tanned skin, soaking her hair and sticking her clothes to her lithe form.

She remembered when she was younger, Gran Gran used to tell her that when it rained at night Tui was crying for her lost love, after meeting Yue that story had become so much more real. With a sigh, Katara dropped to sit on the now wet sand. The truth was her reaction to Zuko's plea for help hadn't made sense even to her. Well, no, that wasn't true, she was fairly certain the natural reaction to an entirely unexpected proposal was meant to be panic. But there'd been something different that had driven her to run from Zuko's side. Beneath the confusion and fear there had been the tiniest trace of happiness - for one second she had remembered the unbidden dreams of Zuko she'd endured for years now. Guilt. Guilt had made her run. Guilt for the happiness, guilt for the dreams, guilt because both of those things were a complete betrayal to Aang. And she loved Aang.

Though she tried to suppress them, tears began to fall slowly but steadily down her cheeks. She raised a fist to the sky then thumped it hard into the soft ground, sand exploding around her clenched fingers and spattering across her arm. What was she meant to do? How could she just wander calmly back into the palace after such a childish reaction? And even if she did what on earth would she say? The subject was bound to come up again, Katara had seen the unspoken apology in Zuko's eyes, knew that he had never wanted to force this decision on her. She also knew that he loved his country, loved his people and if the price of their salvation was to beg Katara to marry him then he would do it over and over. Could she even refuse? Could she single-handedly condemn the world she had fought so hard to rescue? Looking up at the moon she let out an wolfish cry of frustration then allowed her head to drop into her arms where she could think or cry without the pitying gaze of the stars.

* * *

Staring at the same moon, Zuko stood at his balcony. It had passed midnight long ago and Zuko had been keeping watch ever since Katara had fled. Initially his thoughts had been to chase after her but a wise council from his Uncle had reminded him of patience and he had left the water bender to herself, giving her a chance to think. Five hours later, however, and he was beginning to think his Uncle was a stupid old man who he would never listen to again.

His fingers kept up their constant drum against the balustrade, marking out the quick pace of his beating heart. Despite the late hours he had been keeping recently his golden eyes were alert and though seemingly relaxed, his muscles were always ready to spring into action. Secretly, Zuko wondered if, after years of exile, he would ever really be able to relax again or would he always be waiting for an attack?

For the seventh time in as many minutes, he scanned the horizon, craning his neck to look down into the swirling map of streets below. All was still. No matter how much he longed to see the blue figure weave her way through the maze of red it didn't appear to be happening. Which wasn't really surprising, he acknowledged bitterly, Agni had been ignoring him for quite a while now. A messenger had brought him an urgent notification just an hour ago - 50 more deaths from the plague of life in the last month. The oracle had given him a year, 52 weeks. That was four weeks ago. He had just 48 weeks to save his country - the world in fact - and right now he'd lost the only girl who could enable him to do that. The only girl…Zuko's head shot up, was she really the only girl? The oracle had only stipulated Fire and Water! Even Iroh's story hadn't specified that it had to be anyone in particular - just a water bender! Sensing a light at the end of this troublesome tunnel, Zuko abandoned his watch on his balcony to explain his idea to his uncle.

* * *

Katara raised her head blearily, she'd never meant to fall asleep but worn out by crying and confusion she had simply dropped off. Her hair was knotted on one side and dusty in its coat of sand, her clothes soaked. In short, she was a wreck. Thankfully, she realised she couldn't have crashed for long since Tui still kept her watch in the pitch black sky.

* * *

"Why must it be her!?" Zuko roared at his passive uncle, flinging the chair that had been under him a second ago against a wall.

Iroh watched steadily. He hadn't made the decision to call on Katara lightly, he knew the chaos it was bound to cause, but he had checked her family tree over and over again. Katara was a direct descendent of that first water-bender. She really was the only answer. He saw the sweat drip down his nephew's forehead, saw him unconsciously bite into the table with the grip of his powerful hands, saw the fear and anger in his eyes as he tried to deal with the situation. Iroh had to remind himself that though he had turned into a fine young Fire Lord there was still a great deal of emotional damage to repair.

Finally, his fury exhausted, Zuko dropped into a different chair - it's companion in pieces against a wall.

"Uncle, I can't make her do this, I can't just take away her future. She should be able to choose a man she loves to marry." he muttered, flinching at his own words, "That isn't me."

Iroh was just about to offer some philosophical words of wisdom when the door to the room was flung open and a young soldier ran in panting. He offered a hasty bow before quickly delivering his message.

"Lord, come quickly! The water bender has returned…" he drifted into a pause, reluctant to deliver the important part to the clearly irate fire bender.

Zuko had no time for patience and sensing that some information was being withheld from him he stood and faced the man, his voice seemed calm and controlled on the surface but beneath that simmered something significantly more dangerous, something fuelled by fear, something fuelled by love.

"Tell me what is wrong."

"Sir, she's unconscious…with a fever."

Zuko's heart stopped for what seemed like a decade before kick starting again with a painful thud.

The soldier was still talking but Zuko had already left the room. Sprinting towards the water tribe girl on whom every hope he'd ever had rested.

* * *

_(A.N. Another shortie with another cliff hanger. Sorry! I will be uploading just a little bit slower for the next couple of weeks. Mental university deadlines to meet, I'm afraid, and though I'd much prefer to carry on writing my Zutara fanfic - my Univeristy doesn't really recognise it as work. Hope you've enjoyed, thank you for reading and if you found anything you didn't like then please just let me know...if you found anything you did like then definitely let me know - it's always nice to hear lol. Thanks guys! )_


	6. Fever and Fear

_**Chapter 6: Fever and Fear**_

She'd been spotted stumbling through the main palace gates, her steps wayward and her eyes vague. She had made it only a few steps further into the centre of the court before, with a glance at the moon, she had dropped to her knees and slumped over into the dust. Everyone had sprung into action - the midnight watch guards who had been observing her odd behaviour leaped forward, calling to unseen attendants to fetch the physicians, fetch a stretcher, fetch their Fire Lord. That much Zuko had learnt from the petrified young man who had first delivered the message of Katara's return, the boy had shrunk away from him though Zuko knew that he himself was the younger of the two. Katara had been brought to the room next door to Zuko's, the finest in the palace after his, and laid in the middle of the sumptuous silken sheets, her hair fanning around her face on the pillow. Though he knew she'd kill him if he ever voiced the opinion out loud, Zuko couldn't help but marvel at how very frail she looked, he was filled with the sudden urge to protect her. From what? What could he possibly do to defend her if she really did have the fever? He knew it was what everyone was whispering though no one dared suggest it openly to him. There was no cure for the fever.

He clenched his eyes shut and breathed heavily, shaking such thoughts out of his mind. She didn't have the fever. She'd been in the Fire Nation for just one day and by all reports the fever hadn't yet reached the Water Tribes in their sterile frozen environments. There was no way she could have contracted it in such a small time.

Why was the physician taking so long? He had been examining the damned blood samples for an hour now. Zuko fought to control the rage brewing within, it would not do to carry on with these strops he'd been throwing recently.

"No, calm down, everything will be allright." he said half to himself, half to the still form of the young woman on the bed. "Everything will be allright." he raised a hand and tenderly stroked a lock of hair away from her eyes. Looking at her made him feel strange, he crouched down to observe her closer. He followed the slow curve of her nose, the swan like grace of her neck, the smooth arch of her brow, the dusky spider web of eyelashes resting on her cheeks. She was without doubt beautiful.

A cough at the door made him suddenly consider his position, without noticing he had leaned in close to Katara's face, with a start he righted himself and stood up to greet the intruder. His heart stopped when he realised who it was: the physician.

"Well?" was all he could stutter out, the shadow of authority he tried to project did little to mask the fear reeking from his body. Blood pounded in his bread, his nails clawed into the flesh of his palms. He held his breath, waiting for what seemed like a decade for the physician to answer.

"She's fine."

Zuko collapsed into the chair placed conveniently behind him.

"But I thought…" he trailed off, unable to voice the nightmare scenarios he had relived over and over in his head.

"She _does _have a fever and she really is not well. The silly girl sat in the rain for so long that she destroyed her own health. She's lucky she's just come off with a slight chilling of the blood, it could have been far worse." seeing the almost insane look in his sire's eyes he reiterated calmly "but she will be ok - she doesn't have The fever."

Zuko's head collapsed on top of the young woman's hands which he had been clasping throughout the conversation. Though exhausted, when he looked up to thank the physician his eyes shone with relief, in the end he could only manage a nod before turning wondrous eyes back to the slight form on the bed. The Physician left as silently as he had entered, his friend Iroh was right, that boy was quite hopelessly in love.

* * *

_(A.N_. _I promise, promise, PROMISE, to make the next chapter epically long as an apology for the pitiful length and content and general non-zutaraness of the chapters so far. It WILL happen! Promise. Blame deadlines, performances and alcohol. But here's just a shorty so you know I am continuing with it! Thank you!)_


	7. Awakening

_**Chapter 7: Awakening**_

The world didn't make sense. The colours were wrong: so much red and gold and so blurry. The sun outside was too yellow, the bed too soft (though she didn't mind that part too much) and there was something gripping her hand like a vice. There were too many sounds colliding in her already pain-filled head. She closed her eyes, focusing on distinguishing the different noises. No, no they were all too loud, too muddled. She frowned. Focus harder. Yes! There was the sound of running water! The familiar sound gave her the confidence to dissect the other noises. Footsteps - but not in the same room, just outside it. A door closing. Footsteps closer. Someone was murmuring something. The vice on her hand moved to grip her shoulder and she was about to try and tell whoever was in the room that the voice was hurting her when she heard something even more natural to her than the water.

A voice was calling her name. The voice was urgent but no less caring for it. She didn't understand how she knew that voice but she did.

"Katara?"

She heard it faintly, as if through a haze of thick mist. She tried to move her mouth to respond to the kind tone but no words ensued, her throat was too dry and the effort turned into a hacking cough. Someone was gently raising her up to sit then pushing a glass of water to her lips. The icy liquid slid soothingly down her soar throat and she felt some strength come back to her. With a groan she opened her eyes fully, blinking to clear the sleep from her lids.

Suddenly, she remembered.

Zuko was there calling her name, shaking her shoulder, gripping her hand again. She wanted to reply, to ease his worry but memories were bombarding her so quickly she couldn't think of anything else.

She'd come to the fire kingdom. And she'd felt…and she'd wanted to…and then Zuko had…

She'd gone to the beach to think but then the rain had come. She didn't remember getting back to the palace or getting herself to bed, Zuko must have helped her.

Zuko. Zuko was still watching her - eyes wide in fear, jaw clenched and muscles in his arms tensing as he clung to Katara's shoulder. She was scaring him. With a great effort, Katara cleared her head with a shake and smiled briefly at him. Zuko sighed with relief. Maybe she really was ok, as the physician had promised. He tried her name again.

"Katara?" he whispered hesitantly, "are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I think" Katara replied self consciously. Se was suddenly incredibly aware of the tender intensity in his eyes as he surveyed her face and a blush raced to her cheeks. She had barely enough time to cover her burning face before pale, strong arms were thrown around her. One of Zuko's hands buried into her hair, the other pressing against her back, pulling her closer against his chest. Shocked, she could think of nothing to do and simply lay limply in his fervent hold. She could feel his breath stir the hair on the top of her head, could feel it tangle beneath the desperate clutch of his hands, could sense the closeness of his lips as he whispered urgently to her

"Don't _ever_ scare me like that again."

An uncomfortable cough at the back of the room. The physician stood awkwardly, looking around the room, at the ceiling, the floor - anywhere but the ardent couple before him; this was a private moment and he was an unwanted accessory. Unfortunately, however unwanted he was, for the time being he was necessary.

The pair sprang apart, their faces glowing a furious red. Zuko strode purposefully to the other side of the room while Katara smoothed her mussed hair, averting her eyes from the calm gaze of her physician.

"Lady Katara," he addressed with a respectful bow, "your condition has improved much quicker than we could have hoped. It is my belief that your nature as a healer aids your own body in times of sickness. However," he continued sternly, "you _must_ take your health more seriously in future - no more running around in the rain, are we clear?"

Katara mused the obviously rhetorical question for a second before cheekily inquiring "Will I be allowed out of bed?"

"Two weeks bed-rest." replied the physician.

"Three days." insisted Katara, bristling at the idea of being stuck in bed for fourteen days.

"Ten."

"Seven."

"Deal."

"Then we're crystal clear." Katara smiled at the gentle old man and he could only forgive her for her brazenness. He understood now why this young water bender held his powerful king enthralled. A quick glance at said king only confirmed this belief; adoration shone in his exhausted eyes, adoration and relief at her recovery. Yes, he would keep an eye on these two. In fact, he might hunt down his friend Iroh now for some of his fine tea and maybe a conversation or two. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why the servants considered him a gossip.

With a small chuckle and a twinkle in his eye the old man left the room, allowing the young man and woman to adjust to their fledgling love. No doubt the road would not be a smooth one, water and fire were opposites, but he had hope they would traverse it with grace and power, hope they would carry the world with them.

Silence filled the room, tense as both waited for the other to speak.

"You should listen to him" Zuko muttered, embarrassed by his emotional display earlier.

Katara shrugged her shoulders, brushing his concern away. But Zuko's worries, his embarrassment, his fears, his lo… his care made him unpredictable. This simple action infuriated him. Didn't she care what she'd put him through? Didn't she know what she meant to him? Didn't she even care about her own self? How could she act as if her health were nothing when she was his everything!?

He panicked at the thought.

He had never allowed himself to acknowledge his feelings freely, never even really trusted them though he suspected their presence. Unable to deal with the tidal wave of emotions he clenched his fists, feeling the heat within him rise.

"Why were you so damned idiotic!?" he suddenly shouted at the girl sitting quietly on the bed. She looked up at him in shock before a frown clouded her forehead, her eyes seemed to glow dangerously. How dare he!? Why did he think she had run away in the first place!? He had turned her life inside out, upside down and then dropped it on the ground. He had just expected her to deal with his ridiculous ideas. Well if he didn't know then she would just have to tell him wouldn't she. Yes. Yes, she would.

"How _dare _you!?" she bit back at him - her words breathing ice, quenching the fire his had so recently released. His eyes revealed the same shock she had felt. He was king - people did not raise their voice to him. He had forgotten how fiery this water nation girl could be.

"Cast your mind back, Zuko," she dropped the title purposefully. He may be Fire Lord now but he was once her enemy Zuko, her friend Zuko and she would not bow down to him if he chose to act unjustly. "Try to remember why I might have wanted to get away!"

Zuko bristled, he had hoped they might recommence that conversation later when her health had improved, certainly not now with emotions running so recklessly. He had wanted to spare her the conversation entirely, spare her that life! He had tried to protect her, had never wanted to drag her in to this! It wasn't like it was his fault! How dare _she _start taking it out on him!

He went to iterate these furious thoughts to the hot-tempered maiden across the room from him but restrained himself at the last moment. It would do no good to continue in this vain. With noise that was vaguely reminiscent of a growl he stomped towards the door. Reaching it he grabbed at the handle but stopped, resting his forehead against the warm wood. He turned calmly back to Katara, gritting his teeth to maintain the more appropriate emotional level.

"I hope your health improves. I will return tomorrow to check on you. I expect to find you in bed as the physician ordered." and with a forced bow of his head he spun out of the door, unable to resist slamming it.

"I couldn't care less about your expectations! I'll get out of bed if I want to!" Katara screamed at the closed door. She began to struggle from the pillows before collapsing back against them, her physical strength failing her determined mind. What had just happened there? She didn't really understand where that argument had emerged from. It hadn't missed her attention though how her heart had raced, how against Zuko's rage she had felt the overwhelming desire to cry. Fear had consumed her heart at his displeasure in her. Above and beyond the rage she had used to mask it, terror had consumed her heart at the idea that he might find error in her.

"Why on earth do I care so desperately?" she puzzled aloud.

Deep down, she already knew.

Just outside of her room, leaning breathlessly against the wall, his head in his hands, Zuko endured the same rush of emotions.

The same question echoed in both minds: could fire and water ever be combined?

* * *

_(A.N. I am DESPERATELY sorry it's been so long! Forgive me? Well I hope this chapter will act as some form of reparations and I PROMISE (yes, a solemn promise) to get another chapter out within a week. Deal? Good. As always, thank you for reading and a special thank you to my reviewers, people who put me on their alert list or their favourite story/author list - you people motivate me to keep going. So, thank you! And I hope to continue this story to the best of my potential.)_


	8. Night Time Temptations

_**Chapter 8: Night Time Temptations**_

Katara stood on the balcony overlooking the west garden. Leaning against the smooth warm stone of the wall, watching the sunrise, she should have felt peaceful but she was too aware of what the imminent future held for her. Her bed rest was finally over. She had tried to be compliant, only because the old physician was so very kind, but being stuck in one room bored her terribly and she'd made more than one desperate escape attempt. Zuko, however, had been one step ahead and had posted guards outside her door who had apologetically escorted her back to her bed. It goes without saying that this had done nothing to ease relations between the warring benders. Zuko had visited the next day, as promised, then the next - and the next - and the next. Every single day of the week he had arrived promptly at eleven o'clock, right before his meeting with his councillors. Every single day they had gone through the same stunted conversation through gritted teeth and folded arms.

"Are you well?"

"I'd be better if you removed the guards keeping me in here."

"They're there for your own good."

"I need fresh air."

"You have a balcony."

"I want to go for a walk."

"You have one of the biggest rooms in the palace."

"I want to go shopping." Anything to get her out.

"You have maids."

Katara had ignored the maids, slammed the balcony doors and stamped angrily around the vast expanse of her room. Eventually, she would lose her temper.

"Just let me out Zuko!!"

"No."

His seemingly natural coolness drove Katara wild. She wanted him to lose his temper and rant back at her, to shout at her, to assert his authority over her. It would have been easier to hate him if he had. But the easy way he folded his arms and calmly observed her made her blood boil furiously along her veins.

Katara had no idea.

She couldn't possibly understand the barrage of conflicting emotions battling within Zuko's poor head. He wanted to swing her into his arms and run her out into the city. He wanted to give her the air, the walk, the shops she seemed to crave. Gods, he wanted to give her everything so she'd never have to crave anything ever _ever_ again. But as soon as that train of thought ended he would swing around and realise the power of his temper. She was testing not just his patience but his sanity! Why couldn't she just behave? It was for _her_ sake. If he could just somehow talk sense in to her ridiculous little head! He wanted to throw her against a wall and…no, maybe better not to go there. He wanted to tie her to the bed and…no, not there either. Agni, he was a mess.

No. No, Katara had _no _idea.

So today was her last day of confinement. He would keep her there if it was for the sake of her health but, as desperately as he needed her for the sake of the prophesy, as much as he wanted her for reasons he still wasn't prepared to admit to himself, he would not force her to stay against her will. The fate of his country, his fate, now rested in her delicate mahogany hands.

And so Katara stood on the balcony overlooking the west garden. Zuko would arrive in a few hours and she had no doubt he would want to talk about _that _conversation. Gods, how long ago did that seem now?

The hours passed.

Katara had fretted around her room for a good hour, pacing backwards and forwards until eventually she exhausted herself and collapsed back on the bed she had loathed for the whole week. What time was it? A brief glance at the bronze clock informed her it was a little after ten. So she had less than an hour to prepare herself and still no answer to offer. With a groan she pummelled the pillow beneath her head with her fists.

The hours passed.

Yes, hours. Katara had waited. She had stood opposite the door, clutching fistfuls of her blue skirt - trying to force her fears into the fabric. Her back had been straight and her chin raised, though her hands shook and her knees quaked she would never let him know how much her decision terrified her. Or, more to the point, _why_ it terrified her.

And he hadn't come.

A messenger had been sent at midday to offer 'the Fire Lord's most sincere apologies', apparently he had been withheld when the meeting with his councillors had been brought forward due to some matter of urgency. Katara was confused, unsure whether to feel relieved that the inevitable had been delayed, impatient after she had mentally prepared herself, frustrated that he hadn't come when he normally did. Finally, she had given up. Sick of the confusion she had opened the door to her right and tentatively stepped into the large bathroom. She had obviously been in there before but, uncomfortable with the grandeur, she had made the visit's a speedy affair. Now, she was determined to seek some form of relaxation in the large golden tub. Sunken into the floor - it was an awe-inspiring thing. The candles around the edge never seemed to fade - probably part of the magic of the Fire Nation - and her maids always ensured there was a flurry of velvety red rose petals floating on the surface of the water that was permanently the perfect temperature. Sliding out of her dress, Katara eased her tense body into the water feeling safe and secure in her natural element. The water enveloped her limbs and she lifted a lithe leg out of the water to admire the reflection of the light in the water that trailed down it. With a content sigh, she gently pushed the water to and from her chest, practising some simple water-bending moves; child's play really but it eased her nonetheless. Feeling as relaxed as she suspected she was able to currently she began to peruse the scented oils, perfumes and liquids laid out between the candles for her use. On her other visits to the luxurious bathroom she had used only the plainest soap bar but tonight, stressed and just a little bit bitter, she decided to treat herself. Cinnamon soap balls? Yup, that could go in, rose water followed, then ylang ylang. Finally she chose a pearly liquid, oil of musk, and began to gently work it into her shoulders. The heady scent drifted up to her nose, making her feel almost drunk in the luxury of it. She could feel the muscles un-knotting themselves though the bits she couldn't reach ached all the more for the comparison.

One hour and seven bottles of assorted oils, foams and liquids and Katara emerged from a steaming bathroom. Her eyes scanned the room, a small part of her hoping for some sign of Zuko, even just a note. Nothing. Well, she'd always hated his visits before. So there.

She had just begun to tie the sash around the waist of her robe when she glanced at the bed. She was alone. And those sheets were soft and her skin was so soft and she _was _alone. A smirk began to play across her face, mischievous thoughts dancing through her mind. It wasn't like any one could know if maybe she, just this one time, went without her nightdress? The scent of musk still lingering on her skin awoken feelings within her that she normally fought to contain. Running a hand across the silk covers of her bed she giggled. As she ran to the door to lock it she was already letting the robe slip from her smooth shoulders. Feeling decadent and just a little bit debauched she jumped onto the king sized bed and slipped beneath the sheets. Thinking back to the rustic furniture of her home in the south pole she couldn't help but admit she could get used to the luxurious comfort of the fire kingdom. She snuggled under the sheets and drifted off into a restful sleep at last.

Meanwhile, Zuko was walking towards the very room where Katara now lay, concealed only by the thin silk sheet that generously outlined her form. No one but the guards outside Katara's room knew of his night time habit and they would sooner fall upon their own swords than risk betraying his trust. Every night, only when he was completely certain that Katara would be deep in sleep, he would steal into her room and sit by her bed. As innocent as he knew his night time visits were he couldn't pretend he didn't understand the slightly creepy element to it. The truth was he couldn't sleep until he had completed this strange vigil. And so tonight, like every other since she had arrived, Zuko entered Katara's room, nodding to the guards as he did.

The room was mostly dark, lit softly by only a few candles in alcoves around the wall. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and leaning against the double doors in an attempt to ease his racing heart beat. What he saw next, however, had his heart pounding against his ribcage. Silhouetted against the dim candle light, Katara's form stood out, encased in red silk. Normally, her body was concealed by several layers of night dresses and bedclothes but tonight it seemed all that stood between him and her almond skin was one silk sheet. He clutched his leg, unaware of the marks his nails were digging into the flesh. He _was_ aware, however, of the sudden stretch at the front of his trousers. Shakily, he tip-toed towards the young woman's sleeping form. Gods, she was beautiful. One stray hair had found its way onto her peaceful face, laying a path from her brow to her cupid's bow lips. He reached to move it but couldn't resist smoothing his thumb across her bottom lip. Unconsciously, he moved inwards, closed his eyes and allowed himself one brief moment of complete utopian bliss. The feel of her lips against his was sensational, like nothing he could ever imagine. He felt her breath on him and with a start pulled away, suddenly aware of what he'd just done. How sick was he!? He wasn't the kind of man that went preying on sleeping girls! He straightened himself and sat down in the seat next to her bed, hoping the fire in his chest would calm any minute. Frustrated with himself. No, not frustrated. Infuriated and ashamed. This young water-bender had made him weak. He stood up, prepared to leave far earlier than he ever had before - a punishment to himself, when Katara turned in her sleep. Turned and kicked the silk sheet.

The watery material slid to the floor, baring it's treasure for the hungry eyes of the powerful fire master. Zuko froze. His breath caught in his throat. His trousers stretched taut against him.

He couldn't bear it, couldn't handle the fire roaring through him, couldn't resist the desire to touch her. Agni, the things he wanted to do to her. He pictured himself running one hand along each leg, finding the heat between her thighs, sliding his tongue across her chest. He bit down on his knuckle, throwing his arm against the wall to support his weight as he suddenly lost balance. This woman was going to be the death of him. He had to get out, had to run away from these feelings.

And so he did.

He flung the doors open and sprinted past the bewildered guards to the cool sanctity of his own room.

* * *

_(A.N. Things are hotting up a bit, guys! Don't you just LOVE the chemistry between these two. This was a fun chapter to write. In fact, this whole thing is absolutely amazing fun. I know the 'right' way to write a story is to plan every chapter to the extreme but in all honesty I have literally no idea what each chapter will bring. NO idea, for example, that things would get a little bit freaky in this chapter and yet - here we are with a few raised temperatures (at least, mine is). So, even if I'm doing it the wrong way I'm loving the spontaneity of the whole thing and I hope you are too. Thanks, as always, for reading guys and reviews, as always, would be massively helpful!)_


	9. A Knock At The Door

_**Chapter 9: A Knock At The Door**_

And so at last the day had come. It had been just two days and nights since Zuko's fateful experience in Katara's room. He hadn't mentioned it to anyone and, with the chaos in his country and the myriad of meetings he was expected to attend, he found he could almost forget what he'd seen. In the day. During the night it was harder. Literally. Despite his best efforts, he had lain awake each night, tossing and turning as seductive shades danced beneath his clenched eyelids. He had avoided Katara. Unable to think of her without his face flushing a furious red he decided it was probably best to delay their re-acquaintance for as long as possible. The decision, however, would not always be in his hands. Today he realised how very true this suspicion was. The councillors had reached the conclusion that Katara had been given long enough to think. A meeting had been arranged in the main hall, ominously titled 'The Hall of Judgement' by a predecessor eons ago. Zuko wondered who exactly was being judged this time; he couldn't help but suspect that it was he himself under the intense scrutiny of the young water tribe girl. He had mere minutes to compose himself for the decision that would change his and his kingdom's future.

A knock at the door.

As quietly as possible a servant crept into the Fire Lord's quarters.

"The councillors are assembled, sire."

And so the time had come. Judgement day was here. With an affirmative nod he pulled on the robe of the King of his nation and strode out of the room. Though, inside, he feared his heart would break through his very chest, he would never let it show. He walked with his head held high, confidence and strength in every step.

* * *

Katara was scared. Scared in a way she hadn't felt since that fight with Azula. Scared in a way that made her stomach lurch, her toes curl and her eyes sting. She was going to hurt him. She knew it and the knowledge made her want to throw herself from the balcony rather than do it. But, Gods, hadn't she agonised over the decision? With nothing else to do during the day but think she had tried to use the time productively to make the best decision. The stakes were too high. Whatever way you looked at it, whatever choice she made the cost would be tremendous. And she would hurt someone. That much was sure. If she stayed here, if she married Zuko - she would break Aang's heart. A part of her couldn't help but suspect the damage could be similar if she abandoned Zuko. But that was silly, right? Zuko only needed her for love of his country. Aang loved _her_ because she was Katara not because she might or might not be the cure to some kind of prophecy. And yet, despite all of that, how could she condemn the Fire Nation if she _was_ the answer? Could she abandon them if they needed her, abandon the world that she had fought by Aang's side for?

Aang.

Everything came back to him. She loved him. Didn't she? She couldn't hurt him, didn't want to be the one to hurt him.

"La, don't make me do this." she whispered, dropping her head into her hands as tears began to shine in her eyes.

A knock at the door.

A maid shuffled in, laden down with bundles and piles of assorted hair pins and cloths. Dashing the tears from her cheeks, Katara ran to help the young girl - a new one, not one of the stern old women who had come to check on her every day. She seemed flustered by Katara's assistance and dropped to her knees, eyes firmly on the floor and began muttering something. Fearing she had upset the girl, Katara leant down to join her on the ground but this only seemed to upset the girl more. Her patience growing thin as she failed to understand the girls repeated muttering, Katara leant over and raised the girl's chin with her finger.

"Hey," she smiled gently to ease the girl who seemed no older than herself, "what's your name?"

The girl's eyes widened and after stammering for a second or two she managed to whisper her name.

"My name is Shu-La, Mistress."

La. Katara chuckled at the significance of the name.

"Well Shu-La, what can I do for you?"

The question seemed to throw Shu-La and she frowned briefly in confusion.

"I am here to assist you in preparing for the meeting today, Mistress."

Preparing? Katara had never had help to 'prepare' before, but then, Katara had never been summoned by the most powerful men of the Fire Nation before. The objection to the help froze in her throat. Looking down at the simple blue shift and leggings she wore she wondered if maybe some grander clothes might just give her the heart to break someone else's.

"Alright, Shu-La, let's get ready."

The young girl looked up to see the strangest expression on the water bender's face. Initially the radiant smile took her by surprise, it was unlike any she'd ever seen - so beautiful, so genuine. Beneath that, though, she sensed pain. Yes, her Lady was brave. And strong. She would make a fine Fire Lady. With a small gasp, Shu-La chastised herself. It was not like her to pay any attention to palace gossip. However, she couldn't help but allow herself the small hope that, maybe - just maybe - this time there might be some truth behind it.

It transpired that 'preparing' was not an easy, quick or simple task. Returning to that luxury bath, Katara was scrubbed with every lotion and potion till she was quite certain she was missing a few layers of skin. Her hair had been washed, then brushed, then pinned into the most elaborate coil at the base of her neck. Seeming unsatisfied with her work, Shu-La then set about pulling at the coil, loosening it, bringing certain strands forward then strapping others back. Katara was just about to ask Shu-La what she was actually doing when she risked a look in the large mirror in front of her. The gasp was out before she could stop it. Her dull waves were now beautifully loose curls. While most of her hair was twisted at the nape into a mussed bun, small strands fell at the side, framing her face. The overall look was terrifically…undone. With some surprise, Katara realised the style had an element of sexy about it, as if the bun had come loose under the grips of a passionate embrace. She blushed at the thought, or more precisely who was in her thoughts. But that was entirely wrong, _so _wrong bearing in mind what she was about to do.

Shu-La spun her around to face her, apparently more comfortable now she was doing what she loved - turning women into her life-sized dolls.

"Makeup." she reassured Katara with a smile.

After a good half hour, Shu-La stood back to examine her work and nodded, apparently satisfied with the result. Katara went to turn to the mirror the share in her appreication but was stopped by Shu-La.

"Robes first"

So she was to see the whole effect? What did it matter. She had been able to ignore her fears throughout the makeup and the hair but now, with the hour so close, they pressed in on her like a wild animal and her thoughts were preoccupied with dreams of escape and fears of the inevitable fight. Thankfully, her thoughts were distracted by the scrap of cloth that Shu-La held up and proclaimed her dress.

"No!" Katara instinctively gasped, "I just…No! Just no!" but seeing the crestfallen expression on Shu-La's face, Katara immediately felt guilty for her harsh reaction.

"Oh Shu-La, it's a lovely outfit…" she glanced at it and, really, it was! It was beautiful it was just "…so small…." Katara eyed the 'dress' with fear. Shaking her head to try and lose the shock.

"But, Mistress, this was the dress chosen for you." Shu-La whispered before dropping into a bow on the floor again, obviously scared of angering her Lady. Guilt flooded through Katara.

"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to these sorts of clothes, we tend to cover up a bit more when our habitat is made of ice." The girl didn't seem to get the joke, "I come from the South Pole." Katara explained, eliciting a tentative smile from Shu-La.

With a sigh, she conceded defeat, "Ok then, let's get me dressed" she chose the last word with some level of scepticism but it seemed to cheer Shu-La up as she happily set about removing Katara's bath robe. Though unused to this kind of nudity, especially in front of another human, Katara didn't want to risk frightening or upsetting the young maid again and so endured the treatment silently. Besides, she had enough on her mind to blot out any feelings of discomfort.

At last, her preparation was complete. With a flourish and a bow, Shu-La spun the full length mirror around to face her. Hesitantly, Katara raised her eyes to her reflection. A hand flew to her mouth at the vision. She didn't even recognise herself. Her eyes were shadowed with a dark powder, her lashes elongated and some form of black paint lined her eyes out to a flick at the end. Her lips seemed flushed to a deep red and cheek bones emerged that she hadn't ever realised belonged to her. But it was the dress that was the real surprise. It was the same red-burgundy colour sported by every member of the fire nation but the fabric was softer and lighter than anything she had ever experienced before. A long strip of material was wrapped and twisted around her breasts with small straps that fell and rested lightly against the top of each arm. The material left her midriff entirely bare and pushed her bust up giving her a fairly impressive (and, in Katara's opinion, immodest) cleavage. It then tied around the back, knotting into a bow and leaving a train to fall from it to the floor. Small chains of gold were all that connected the top of her 'dress' to the bottom, twisting around each other, exploring the length of her thin waist. Finally, there was the skirt. A sheer chiffon fabric that just about concealed her actual body whilst allowing everyone to see the alluring silhouette of her legs. Not that they needed to look too hard, on the right side of the skirt a large slash to the thigh revealed a tan length of skin, down to an anklet and sandal encased foot. Hanging from her neck and wrists were lengths of gold, weaved into intricate patterns up her arms and across her shoulders. The overall effect was breath taking and Shu-La humbly showered compliments on the stunned water bender.

A knock at the door.

And Katara remembered the reason behind the elaborate costume.

* * *

_(A.N.I had a LOT of fun imagining the dress for Katara. It was quite a hard decision to make since I wasn't sure what persona to present Katara with. At first I was going to put her in her normal blue clothes so she could keep her loyalty to her own nation sort of thing. Then it was in a kind of formal kimono outfit so she could be all regal and strong. Finally I rested on this outfit for reasons that will be revealed in the next chapter which should (fingers crossed) be a bigun! Hope you're still enjoying! Let me know if there's anything you think I could improve on! Thanks, lovelies!) _


	10. She Answers

_**Chapter 10 - She Answers**_

He wasn't in the room, of that he was quite certain. He was floating somewhere far, far away and every single other person in the room was a dot except her. She stood alone in the centre, resplendent in red, her skin seeming to sparkle in the light of the flames. Had he ever seen something so beautiful? Had anyone, for that matter? For a few blissful seconds, Katara was everything - not just _his_ everything but everything full stop. He could no longer deny it to himself. He was uncertain about his choices as Fire Lord. He was uncertain about what to do with his sister. He was uncertain about how he would ever be able to make this up to Mai. In fact, in sharp contrast to the persona he presented, he was uncertain about nearly every little detail in his life _except_ for her. He knew, with every fibre of his body, that he was irrevocably, painfully and wonderfully in love with the water bender who was about to decide his future.

The thought of Mai, however, had reminded him of the unpleasant confrontation he had unexpectedly walked into with her. The memory brought him back down to earth from his cloud with a bump. It had been less than an hour ago, while he was on his way to this very hall. Dressed in his ceremonial garb he had rounded a corner, concentrated in his own confused thoughts and unaware of the world around him. The still figure directly in front of him had made him look up though he already knew who it was.

"Mai…" he trailed off, unable to think of anything to atone for the situation they now found themselves in. For once, he was grateful for Mai's apparent emotionless nature - he was unsure how he could have handled it if she had broken down in tears. As it was, she watched him, so closely he thought she was dissecting his soul, albeit with complete disinterest in her task.

"So it is today?"

"Sorry?" Zuko didn't fully understand what she was referring to.

"She makes her decision today - the water tribe girl." From anyone else, such a comment might have rung with an element of bitterness. From Mai it was so emotionless that Zuko barely even registered the comment. He nodded, dumbly.

"I'm leaving the palace to return to my parents. I hope she makes the right decision."

What Mai felt was the right decision Zuko did not find out, immediately after announcing such a wish she left, her robes swinging around the corner after her. Perhaps confrontation was the wrong word. Confrontation seemed to imply something emotional but Mai simply did not seem to care. Unfortunately, Zuko knew her well enough to know that, if nothing else, he would have wounded her pride. He also knew that - with Mai - a broken heart would have been easier to heal. The guilt was crushing. He had loved Mai once, loved as much as he thought he could anyway…until he met Katara. He had _never_ wanted to hurt her. Even when he first discovered the prophecy hadn't he spent nights awake thinking of a way to solve the prophecy without abandoning Mai. But he had abandoned her. He knew it. Mai knew it. The entire Fire Nation knew it. He could only hope that, given time, she might find a way to forgive him.

"Lady Katara."

The name brought Zuko out of his guilty thoughts. Looking towards the speaker, he realised it was the leader of the councillors - a kind old man who had somehow lived through Zuko's father's regime despite being well known for his preference of peace and justice. Zuko knew, however, that his soft voice and kindly manner were only a cover for a sharp mind. He was fair in his judgement but it was always final. Zuko suspected that his father only ever kept him around for his talent for sniffing out a single ounce of falsehood in a human.

"Lady Katara, your presence has been summoned before the councillors on this day in this, the Hall of Judgement, to voice your decision on the fate of our nation."

Katara seemed to droop slightly as the weight of such a question landed heavily on her shoulders. Zuko's guilt hit him again. He had forced these expectations of her.

"Lady Katara, your answer please."

Katara took a breath. The moment was now - no going back, no delay. She had to answer.

"Sir, I…" she froze. How could she hurt him? How could she do this after all he had done for her? He had restored her faith in the world, had helped _save _the world and now she would break his heart. It wasn't fair. Why did it have to happen to him? Why did she have to be the one to deliver such a reward? She loved him. Just not in the right way.

"Sir, I am Katara. I have never been Lady Katara or Mistress Katara or Princess Katara and I fear I will never be able to."

The room froze. Surely she could not be denying the hand of a Fire Lord. Katara sensed the rising level of animosity but resisted the temptation to flee the grand hall. She needed to say her piece.

"I know there is a belief that I could save your nation and our world and I _so _wish that that could be true. But if you are looking for a Lady or a Mistress or a Princess then it is my duty to tell you that I am not her."

Zuko couldn't breathe. It wasn't meant to happen this way. Yes. Yes, he had wanted to spare her this, he hadn't wanted to trap her but he had finally realised that he was in love with her and now she wanted to abandon him. She was prepared to abandon his country, even, just so she wouldn't have to be with him. He forced himself to breathe. In. Out. In. Out. He would not break down before his people. He risked a look at the woman who had just scorned him, who had broken him. What he saw made his careful breathing catch in his throat. Katara was looking into his eyes, though tears fell from hers.

"Lord Zuko" she whispered, not trusting herself to speak any louder lest she broke down her carefully constructed wall of control. "I cannot be any of those women."

One last breath.

"But I can be Katara. And if you believe that this water tribe peasant is the answer then…then it would be my honour to become your bride."

With a sharp exhale Katara dropped to the ground in a curtsey. It would not normally be in her nature to show such humility but she was fairly certain that that speech had used the last of her strength, leaving none to keep her standing. She felt the hot tears flood down her face. So it was done. In a matter of minutes she had broken Aang's heart and he didn't even know it yet. And the worst part, the most deplorable aspect of the whole situation, was that Aang's pain wasn't even on her mind. All she could think about was Zuko and their future. It was the shame and guilt of this that kept the steady flow of tears come pouring down her cheeks.

Without warning, a pair of feet were right before her face. A hand was gently clasping each arm and drawing her up, away from the floor, to stand. Blinking, she looked on the face of her new fiancé. His smile was euphoric, loving, gentle and passionate all at once and Katara couldn't understand it. Letting go of her arms he softly brushed the tears from her eyes. Satisfied that her crying was easing - though he knew it was a long way off stopping - he raised one of her hands in his. Holding her slim fingers between his, he raised the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it so delicately that thoughts of a butterfly intruded Katara's puzzled thoughts. His face came closer to hers and she tensed, believing he was about to kiss her. She was not ready for this. More importantly, was her first kiss with her future husband to be in front of a crowd of judgemental councillors? He passed her lips though, and only briefly brushed her ear before whispering in it.

"Once you saved my life. Today you saved my kingdom. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe - I am your servant."

Abruptly he drew away and raised her head with slight pressure from a finger beneath her chin. Without removing the hand that was clutching her waist protectively he turned her to face the crowd of men.

"My Lord Councillors, I give you Katara - my fiancée and the hope of our nation."

The cheers were deafening but Katara heard none of them. All that was in her mind was the feel of Zuko's lips against her skin.

A new life began for the two young benders that night and who could have imagined, in those moments of hope, what it would have in store for them.

* * *

_(A.N. Not too sure whether I'm satisfied with Katara's speech. I wanted it to be something pretty sensational and powerful because, let's face it, would Katara ever take a situation like that meekly? I think not. But I hope it's tolerable for all of you. Promise the whole drama of that big old enemy is coming soon. After all, for anyone keeping track, I've only got like 46 weeks left out of the year granted by the prophecy! Gah! Thanks for reading guys! Hope you're still enjoying it.)_


	11. Touch

_**Chapter 11: Touch**_

The moment was still, so still that Katara was convinced her breathing would deafen her if someone didn't speak soon. Everyone had left - the councillors, servants, advisors - everyone except Zuko who now stood opposite her in the vast and empty hall. She _had_ stopped crying at last but she still couldn't help feeling hopelessly awkward standing alone and opposite Zuko. Her confused mind tried desperately to process through what exactly he was to her now. How many changes was their relationship to endure? Once her enemy, he had become her friend, then a Lord of an entire nation and now…now her fiancé. Despite the heat of the fire nation during the day it could often hit goose-bump inducing temperatures at night. Clad in her somewhat insufficient dress, Katara shuddered against the breeze that swept through from the open door.

"You're cold" Zuko stated, rather unnecessarily.

"I am" Katara responded, equally as unnecessarily. "Perhaps I should…" she was about to suggest she retire to her rooms but before she could finish, a heavy and beautifully warm cloak had landed on her shoulders.

"But what about you?" she went to return the cloak, feeling guilty that her complaining would lead to him being cold, but he stopped her with a small smile and a shake of his head.

"Fire bender." he offered as explanation. Seeing the blank look on her face he tried to elaborate, "we're hot blooded". Apparently even that explanation wasn't enough, Katara's expression remained confused. He hunted around for the right words but eventually settled on the easiest way he could think of to demonstrate what it meant to be a fire bender. Taking one of her hands gently in his, he raised it to his chest. Slowly, so as not to frighten her, he pressed it against the skin above his heart. An electric shock pulsed through him from the point of contact and, judging by the look on Katara's face, he wasn't the only one who had felt it. Quickly, he realised he hadn't thought this plan through well enough as his heart began to increase furiously in speed at the feeling of her skin against his. Katara's eyes widened as she felt the heat of his skin. It was that perfect temperature - like the feeling of sitting beside a fire and letting its glow bathe your skin. She tried, and failed, to stop the shiver that ran down her spine at the feel of his warm skin. Zuko, meanwhile, was enduring a similar struggle. Katara's shiver only triggered certain reactions in him, ones that he fought very hard to control. In that moment, he could not resist the gasp that her reaction to him elicited. Katara pulled away, ashamed and embarrassed by her brazenness.

"Well," Katara forced a smile to mask her embarrassment, "perhaps we should go to bed?"

Zuko froze in wide-eyed shock, confusing Katara even further. It took Katara's addled mind a few more seconds to understand Zuko's reaction to her suggestion and a crimson blush flooded across her cheeks.

"No!" she quickly tried to explain herself, flustered by her inadvertent mistake. "No, no, no! I…I didn't mean…well I didn't mean we should…not like that…not together…I…" She let the words fade into silence and hung her head, furious with herself for allowing her own words to humiliate her. An explosive and unexpected laugh lifted her from her sudden mood crash. She immediately looked up at Zuko who was hunched over, clutching his ribs as laugh after laugh cascaded through him.

"You don't need to laugh at me!" Katara sulked, but within seconds she too was crouching as his laughter consumed her. It was a relief to laugh after such bewildering intensity. Eventually, the laughter subsided, taking the earlier awkwardness with it. The young couple stood opposite each other now with matching comfortable smiles on their faces.

"Well, Lady Katara," Zuko bowed mockingly, "oh, sorry, I mean _just_ Katara. May I accompany you to the _door_ of your room?" his mockery earned him a sharp slap across the back of the head but Katara only giggled as she accepted his offer and his arm.

Having walked Katara to her room, Zuko returned to his. Once safely inside, he collapsed against the wall, his heart thundering against his chest. Despite all the arrangements, problems and complaints he knew he would have to endure tomorrow - he felt lighter than he ever had in his entire life. So this was love. Agni, he had never felt anything like this before and he had fully believed he was in love with Mai. Experiencing now the full fire of the thing called love he realised he had felt nothing like it for Mai. Even the guilt of such a realisation could not bring him down from the almost unbearable emotional height he had reached. For the hundredth time he relived the events of that day. He saw vividly in his mind - Katara looking into his eyes, Katara agreeing to be his bride, Katara blushing as her hand touched his chest, Katara as they said goodnight. They had lingered at the doorway, neither wanting to say goodbye. Eventually she had whispered goodnight before, with the poise of a ballerina, leaning up onto her toes to brush his cheek with her soft lips. It had taken every ounce of strength in him not to grab her and put her lips to better use against his but it was too soon for that and he was still wary of frightening her. She had made a massive life alteration that day and he didn't want to push her too hard. But the Gods knew she tested his self control. He was beyond help where that woman was concerned; he was in love. With a contented sigh, he fell onto his four poster bed and allowed his dreams the freedom as he slept that he couldn't risk permitting them when he was awake.

It was only after Zuko had left that Katara had realised his robe was still wrapped around her shoulders. She had rushed out - half hoping that he was still there and she could see him again, half scared of what she might do if he was - but he was already gone. She had returned to her room and closed the door firmly before allowing herself an indulgent moment to hug the robe to her chest, pressing the fabric to her nose to inhale the scent of the man who was unwittingly driving her wild. Flopping onto the bed, she allowed the scents of cinnamon, mahogany and leather filtered through and eased her to the most restful sleep she had experienced since she arrived in the fire nation.

* * *

In the midst of all the euphoria it was all too easy to forget the stark warnings of the oracle. But just north of the capital, hidden in the mountains, the proof of the threat was stirring. A dense patch of darkness had gathered at the highest peek, a patch that dragged and pulled everything surrounding it into its foreboding circle. The tallest, proudest tree stood equal to a single blade of grass against the darkness' almighty hunger. But from the depths, the most horrifying aspect was yet to make its entrance into the world. The only clue it offered of its existence was the soulless laugh that echoed out across the mountain. Had anyone heard it they would have found their heart frozen at the sound of it. Yes, something evil was coming, something that could destroy them all. And only two young water benders stood in their way.

_

* * *

_

(A.N. I am churning_ them out here! It's going to be hard when I go back to university in a couple of weeks. Yes guys, I'm afraid to admit that the update rate will slow in a serious way when I'm back there. I will promise now though that I will update at least every other week at the least! As ever, I am LOVING writing this and I only hope that you're enjoying reading it just as much. Thank you for reading and all your reviews - they keep me motivated. My favourite this week was from _sokkantylee_. As odd as this may sound, I am SO glad I almost made you cry lol! Thanks, guys. Over and out!)_


	12. The Oracle Speaks

_**Chapter 12: The Oracle Speaks**_

Far away, on the island of Kāi Míng, the oracle tossed and turned in a restless sleep. The keepers watched on anxiously as she twisted from side to side, veins protruding at the side of her neck, hands clawing their lines into the ground. The keepers watched in vein. Initially, attempts had been made to restrain the violent thrashings of the fragile creature in front of them but such efforts only seemed to cause further distress and eventually they had reluctantly crept back to observe. While the others gawped in dismayed silence, one keeper - the youngest of them all, barely out of her brown training robes - remembered her duty. Temporarily blocking out her concern for the chosen one she concentrated on the broken words issuing from her lips, carefully writing each one onto a length of scroll.

"_Passiah"_

Fire.

"_Sooneh"_

Water.

"_Li Avastra"_

The Avatar.

"_Calahna"_

Chaos.

"_Calahna" _

Louder this time.

"_Calahna"_

The word this time was barely distinguishable, lost in the blood curdling, choking scream that erupted from the frail body in the centre of the court, coated in unearthly mist. The keepers fled, bolting the doors to keep the demon they feared had claimed the oracles flesh out. Only the youngest stayed, the only one to remember her duty. Clutching her new red robes, still so alien to her, the mark of a keeper. Her hand, shaking, still gripped the brush she had used to write down the garbled message of the oracle. The girl before her, only a year or two older than herself, now lay collapsed on the stone. Her back was no longer arched and her hands fell listlessly at her sides. Had it not been for the slow, shakey rise and fall of her chest it would have been easy to presume she had died from the vision she had just endured. The last keeper rose, deciding whether to get her sisters or tend to the girl herself. As she puzzled over the decision she heard the faint whisper of the oracle. In that second she realised that, in truth, she had never felt fear before. A sweat broke out over her entire body though her blood froze in her veins. She did not need to write those last breathless words, she would remember them till the day she died.

"_Vi lessiah"_

He is come.

* * *

_(A.N. I know it's seriously short, but I'm going to make sure I upload chapter 13 immediately after. I just felt it was necessary that this be an isolated moment because it's going to change everyone's lives from this moment on. Also, I am SO sorry it's been such a ridiculously long time since I last uploaded. I've come back for my second term of University so had crazy deadlines and stuff to get sorted. It's been hectic. I'll try to be more regular from now on, promise. As ever, thank you for reading and reviews would be lovely, they keep me motivated to know people are actually reading what I write lol!_

_Your humble Zutara fanatic,_

_Holly Jane Elizabeth)_


	13. Release Me

**_Chapter 13: Release Me_**

"Lady Katara, you mustn't!"

"It's unbecoming for the future Fire Lady to do such a thing!"

Katara fought to control her temper as the two maids scurried along next to her. She was, quite frankly, sick of the whole Fire Nation court system. She didn't like everyone watching and waiting for her and Zuko to eat before they did. She didn't like how all the ladies were quiet but the men so vocal. And she did _not_ like being called 'Lady' all the time. She spun around to face the maids who had been stalking her since she had accepted the position of future Fire Lady. Glaring at them each in turn she spoke calmly but with an unmistakeable spark of danger beneath the surface.

"To you I may be some noble lady but to me I'm still just Katara."

She paused for a second, watching with frustration as the two girls dropped to the floor in an abject bow at the mention of her name. After deciding it wasn't worth trying to make them drop that annoying habit she continued.

"And Katara is a bender and Katara is going to practice her bending because Katara is worried that if she spends another second sitting around in pretty dresses doing nothing then Katara will go crazy!"

The shrillness that rose in her voice, and the fact she was speaking in third person, seemed to be enough to prove her point and the two ladies shuffled backwards into the confines of their rooms, bowing all the way. With a shake of her head, Katara shook out her shoulders and felt herself relax. She had forgotten what a privilege it was to be sometimes alone. She opened the wide double doors and entered into the great expanse of space that was the training ground, the old Agni Kai arena. Fighting the memories that flooded her heart at the sight of those familiar pillars and drains, Katara began to limber up. Shaking out the tension trapped in her spine, Katara threw her arms wide and embraced the morning sun. Despite being in the Fire Nation for over two weeks now, she still couldn't help rejoicing in the way the sun felt on her skin which had been bronzed to a slightly darker brown - how the Fire Nation people stayed so pale despite such light she'd never understand. Removing her heavy red robe, Katara revealed the simple blue bindings she wore beneath it, remnants of what Katara couldn't help but call her 'real' life. The leggings hugged her hips and the graceful sweep of her thigh to her calve. Her stomach was left bare and her bindings emphasised just how much she had grown up in the brief time she had been absent from the Fire Nation. Twisting her hair up, she grabbed the smooth thin stick from her belt and pinned it through the bun. Unfamiliar with the intricate and elaborate hair styles of the Fire Nation, it had taken her her entire time there to master the simple bun and she was still permanently amazed by how well it kept her hair restrained even when she was throwing herself through her training.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

A middle kick. Twisting her hip she raised her right leg and shot it into her invisible opponent's stomach. Springing back, she spun around, swinging her left leg this time in a high arch to take out the phantom attacker's head. A punch. Bring the elbow down into the fleshy part where shoulder meets neck. Spin. A low kick to take out the ankles. A punch to the side of the head. And then the grand finale, a kick she had invented herself. She leapt effortlessly and gracefully into the air, twisting her body as she did before extending one leg preparing to land a solid kick from midair at her opponent. But something had gone wrong. She hadn't judged the angle properly, hadn't timed the extension. Something that meant she crashed heavily onto her elbow and hip where she should have landed as elegantly as she took off. She was out of shape and off form and to Katara, that was the most frustrating thing imaginable. With an angry huff she got to her feet, dusting herself down and wincing as her careless hands brushed what was promising to be an impressive bruise already forming at her hip. She considered healing herself for a second but decided she probably deserved some small punishment for allowing herself to get so sloppy. She'd meant to use this work out to blow off a little steam but, if anything, it had just made her more stressed than she was before.

"You twisted too late."

Retaining the feelings of aggression, Katara spun around to face the voice she knew so well.

"When you jumped, you waited till you were already losing height to start turning. Though I've never actually seen that kick taught anywhere I'd be prepared to guess that you'd have to twist at the very highest point to make it work." Zuko couldn't resist the twitch of smugness that pulled at the corner of his mouth. He eyed the water bender steadily and found a twinge of fear as he met with her ice like eyes as she glared at him. He didn't know what exactly had pissed her off but he knew there was a good chance she could kill him right now. Immediately he began to regret his cocky remark.

"You think you could do better, Zuko?"

Zuko couldn't help but panic a little, there was absolutely no correct response to that. Thankfully it seemed Katara wasn't really waiting for one.

"Then fight me."

Now that was unexpected. The old part of Zuko - the bitter, resentful part - quickly wondered if this was Katara's entire reason for coming to the Fire Kingdom in the first place? Had she just been pretending all the time he'd known her? Did she secretly still hate him and had come here to assassinate him? But he beat these thoughts down, ashamed of himself for even considering Katara capable of something like that, she was the most honest person he had ever met - brutally so at times. Still, her request (or, rather, command) threw him. She couldn't really expect him to fight her…could she?

The punch that came flying towards him, scraping his shoulder as he narrowly avoided his face becoming the target, provided his answer. Yes. That was exactly what she expected. Before he could even process the situation he had somehow got himself into a kick came speeding towards him, crashing into his ribs and forcing all the wind out of him. A lesser trained warrior would have hit the ground from the force of such a blow but Zuko used the momentum to flip himself backwards and away from the slightly insane Katara.

"Katara, I am _not _going to fight you, this is ridiculous!" he tried to reason with her.

Apparently, she was not in the reasoning mood and a series of punches flew one after the other towards his fairly battered body. Zuko was not prepared to hurt Katara but he had been fighting long enough to know that you can never win through evasion, he could only keep dodging for so long. With that in mind, he waited till Katara was fully extended, her arm thrust towards him, and neatly launched himself into a flip over her head. Before she could even grasp what he'd just down he had caught her arm and twisted it behind her back, carefully avoiding causing her any pain but restraining her completely. He wrapped his legs around hers and threw his other arm around her, pinning her other arm to her chest.

"Now" he whispered, breathless from the sudden exertion, "do you think maybe now you can explain your sudden desire to attack me?"

His only answer was Katara's wild thrashings against his tight hold.

"Seriously, Katara!" he said louder "What's got into you today!?"

Try as he might, he did not understand where this wildness had come from all of a sudden. Her maids had informed him that she'd been a little tense recently but this was downright crazy.

"Let go of me, Zuko!" she screamed wildly, increasing her efforts to stamp on his foot to get away.

Eventually, concerned that he might be causing her more distress, he released her.

"But promise not to attack me again, ok?"

She sprung away from him the minute his arms relaxed and stoop opposite him, panting, exhausted by her manic escape attempts. Zuko stared at her confusion and then in alarm as he noticed tears glistening in her eyes.

"Katara…" without understanding what was wrong he couldn't think of anything to say to ease her apparent suffering though his heart ached to see her like this.

"Katara, please tell me what's wrong" he asked quietly, a part deep inside of him dreading the answer.

The girl before him froze and he was suddenly painfully aware of how fragile she looked, biting her lip to hold back the inevitable tears, arms clutched around each other. She looked away from him, deciding whether or not to release the whole bundle of crazy she'd been building up ever since she had agreed to help him. She hadn't told anyone. Had kept her fears and concerns locked inside of her, bubbling away. She should have know that eventually they'd all boil over.

"I don't feel like _me _anymore, Zuko!" she cried, looking around helplessly as tears now poured down her cheeks. Her breath kept catching in her throat as she tried to explain.

"I'm not allowed to bend and I wear red all the time and people bow to me and call me 'lady' and 'mistress' and I'm barely allowed outside my room let alone this palace and I'm just not ME anymore!" she howled, finally releasing the pent up feelings she had harboured in secrecy.

Zuko stared, bewildered, at the broken creature before him. Where was the strong and confident water bender he so loved and worshipped gone? What had he done to turn her into this fragile and weak being? His mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he tried fruitlessly to think of anything to say to ease her pain. Finally she made eye contact with him but seeing only panic as his eyes met hers she turned away.

"I don't think I can do this, Zuko. Water benders don't do well trapped inside four walls." she muttered as she began to walk away.

Suddenly she was engulfed by a pair of strong, protective arms from behind. She gasped as she felt his hot breath against her bare neck, felt his warm skin against her midriff.

"Zuko…"

"Shhh" he whispered, "I have something to show you." and with that he took her hand and lead her out of the arena and down a corridor she had never been before but knew lead to his quarters.

She followed silently, exhausted by their fight and her outburst. Instead of going over her troubles, she allowed herself, just for that moment, to focus on how pleasantly small her hand felt encased in Zuko's large one.

After some time they came to some large double doors, remarkable not only in their beauty but in the symbols surrounding the frame. Small waves had been carved all along the edges, meeting moon in the middle of the top of the frame and a sun opposite at the bottom. She was so familiar with the pattern of flames that were unavoidable in buildings of the Fire Nation that this small difference stunned her and she looked at Zuko in confusion. He smiled gently at her.

"Close your eyes." he said as he gently covered her eyes with his hand. Waving in front of her face, he was satisfied by the absence of the flinch that she was fully blind though by her nervous twitching he could assume she wasn't comfortable with it. He opened the doors and lead her into the centre of the large room.

Spinning to look at her so he could capture her immediate reaction in his memory for ever, he told her she could open her eyes.

Her mouth dropped open and she drew in a deep gasp at the sight of the room. Spinning around, she double checked through the open door that, yes, the rest of the building was red and, yes, she was still in the Fire Kingdom. But this room, this room was nothing like the rest of the palace. All of the walls were covered in various shades of blue and the stones beneath her feet were so gloriously cool though Katara would never understand how Zuko managed it. Only one wall was different, the one across from the large four poster bed that was decorated generously with blue chiffon curtains and small crystals that sparkled blue when the light hit them. This wall was a large mural of the south pole, of her home. She ran towards it, examining the innate detail in the falling snowflakes, the very real colour of the snow.

"I had one of the Fire Kingdom masters paint it for you. He's not quite finished which is why I haven't shown you it yet - I wanted to wait…" he trailed off awkwardly. With a small cough he quickly pointed her attention in the direction of the wardrobe "Now, I know all girls like clothes and I thought you might appreciate these more" he smiled indulgently as he flung open one of the doors to reveal one gown after another, all intricately designed and crafted for Katara personally, all adorned with gems and precious stones, all blue. But Katara's smile fell, the dresses were beautiful and certainly grander than anything she'd ever worn before but still they were part of what made her feel like she was losing her identity. Noticing the small displeasure on her face Zuko hurriedly sought to erase it.

"No, no. Wait, wait for it" and with a flourish he flung open the other door of the wardrobe. At first, Katara couldn't quite make out what it contained since it seemed to just be layers and strips of blue rags and cloth ribbons. Finally, the reality dawned on her and her eyes widened with genuine and unadulterated pleasure. She ran towards the wardrobe and began to rifle through the shelves or chest bindings, of loose tunics and leggings - all perfect for training.

"From now on, the arena is yours whenever you want it. No one will question you or try and tell you it's not befitting. You can train whenever and however you want." he smiled tenderly at Katara, amazed that it was not the expensive dresses but the strips of cheap dyed fabric that had elicited such joy from her.

"Zuko, I…" she began, only to be interrupted again.

"Ah, wait, I have just one more surprise." he smiled, taking her hand once again and leading her towards doors Katara had not noticed since they were painted to blend into the wall. Throwing the doors open, he showed her the thing he himself had designed for her.

The garden that met Katara's eyes was beyond anything she had ever imagined. A miniscule river of water ran continuously around the edge, the bridge they were standing before leading into the centre. Where the water met at the opposite side of the garden, it flourished into a giant rock fountain and Katara closed her eyes at the sound of water cascading down the stones and back into the water. Looking down, she noticed small koi swimming between the lilys and lotus' floating gently on the surface. Surrounding the garden was trees and plants of every variety, shutting it off from the rest of the palace, giving Katara her very own oasis of calm and peace. Something caught Katara's eye and she sprinted towards it like a child, Zuko followed her, waiting to see what it was that had caused her such pleasure. Ducking beneath the vines of a willow tree he saw Katara swinging gleefully on the swing he had erected from the branches. At the time he had worried she might find it childish but something had told him she would love it - seeing her now proved he had made the right choice. He smiled and walked towards her, stopping her effortlessly mid-swing.

"Do you like it?"

"Zuko, I love it. This is me," she smiled easily "I feel more at home here then I've felt in a long time. Thank you, thank you so much." she gushed, reaching up to fling her arms around his neck in gratitude.

Smelling the sea in her hair, something he was amazed and grateful that she hadn't lost, he felt empowered to tell her something he knew he should have told her earlier. Much earlier. He should have told her that day she had saved his life in the very arena they had left moments ago. He clutched his arms tightly around her waist, searching for the courage to whisper those words.

"Katara," he breathed, "Katara, I lo…"

"Fire Lord Zuko!" an urgent voice barged through the trees, breaking the moment. Resisting the urge to burn the messenger to the ground, Zuko held Katara a second longer before turning to meet the unwelcome intruder.

"What?" he hissed angrily. The man shook with the waves of rage radiating off his lord.

"Forgive me, Majesty, but a messenger has arrived from Kāi Míng."

* * *

_(A.N. There we go! I promised a longer one and here it is. I figured that such a massive change to a lifestyle would be seriously hard to take in - even for someone as strong willed as Katara - and I wanted to show that strain. I'm not so great at fight scenes but I gave it a go. Hope you all enjoyed! _

_Holly.)_


	14. So It Begins

_**Chapter 14: So It Begins**_

"A messenger has arrived from Kāi Míng."

Zuko glared at the man, expecting more detail.

"Sire…" the man paused, unwilling to be the bearer of such bad tidings "sire, she's in red."

Zuko froze.

Yes, his interest and faith in the oracle had been limited before but he had always known of their traditions, their rules. The messenger was a woman and in red, Zuko could take a guess that this would not be just any messenger - this would be one of the keepers themselves. The keepers did not leave Kāi Míng. From the day they were sworn into their new life of duty they remained on the island; they would grow there, be taught there and eventually they would be buried there. If people wanted a prophesy they went to the keepers, not the other way around. As far as Zuko knew there had only been one other instance of a keeper leaving the island and the story was so altered after decades and centuries of retelling that Zuko had almost assumed it was myth. But now a keeper stood waiting for him and he had to answer.

"Have her wait in the Great Hall. I will be there imminently." as an afterthought, Zuko added "and gather the elders, we will need their wisdom today."

The man nodded and sprinted away, sensing the urgency beneath the controlled calm of his Lord's voice. He was not the only one to notice. Katara turned to look at Zuko and, though he tried to turn his face from her, she caught the emotion in his eyes. Fear. In all the time she had known Zuko she had never seen him frightened. She had held him in his arms as he lay dying, she had watched him being crowned Fire Lord, she had stood opposite and next to him in countless fights but she had _never_ seen even a hint of fear in him. The oracle was a foreign notion to her - she knew it existed but had no idea of its importance or even really what it was. Instinctively she clutched Zuko's arm, concerned for him and afraid of whatever it was that had revealed this weakness in Zuko.

"You will wait here, Katara. I must go to the Great Hall." he mumbled, already deep in thought.

A frown appeared across Katara's forehead. Irritably she informed him that she had no intention of just waiting while everyone else dealt with whatever had happened.

"Katara, why can't you just…just do as your told for once!" The minute the words left Zuko's mouth he knew they were ill chosen. He felt her bristle at the comment, could sense her fists clenching in rage. Guilt rushed through him but being stubborn and stressed had marvellous power and Zuko forced the feeling down, focusing on his annoyance instead.

"'Do as I'm told?'" Katara enunciated every single word with biting force, "how dare you talk to me as if I am a child, Zuko! You asked me to be your Fire Lady not your pet. I fought beside you once so don't you start acting as if you need to protect me."

The significance of those words were not lost on Katara, after all, hadn't he done exactly that when they had fought together? Her words softened

"If you want a Fire Lady, Zuko, then please let me start acting like one. I _know_ the world's not a terribly nice place right now." she smiled, reassuring Zuko she had calmed down now. "You don't need to try and hide that from me. Let me help."

With a weary sigh, Zuko rubbed his brow as if trying to erase the frown. A war was raging inside his head and one that, given the circumstances, he did not have the time to fight. He had created this oasis for Katara precisely because he didn't want her involved in the dire straits of her country but it seemed she would drag herself in regardless. She was right: he wanted to protect her but he was perfectly aware he wouldn't let her.

Frustrated, and all the time counting the minutes he was losing, he eventually gave in.

"Fine, you come. But if any point the conversation gets too serious - you leave. Deal?"

Though Katara had no intention of sticking to such an imprecise bargain she decided not to waist any more time.

"Deal."

With a distracted nod, Zuko grabbed her hand and rushed down the corridors towards the Great Hall.

* * *

The woman…no, the girl in front of them was exhausted, she collapsed into the chair as soon as it was placed behind her. She had insisted on standing until Zuko had arrived before her, anything to hasten his arrival. She tried to speak but found she couldn't catch her breath, huddling over she broke into a fit of coughing. Apparently after a lifetime of observing, 3 days and nights of hard riding were a little too much for her. A cup of water appeared at her side and she gratefully drank it, breathing slowly and forcing herself to calm down. Eventually, she raised her eyes to the lord of her nation. In truth, the keepers had little respect for the Fire Lord - it wasn't that they didn't like him or had any aversion to the position it was just that they weren't really part of the Fire Nation though their island belonged to it. The oracle and her keepers were something more, something altogether bigger than the mortal land of fire. Despite this, raising her eyes to the young man before her the keeper failed to hold back the gasp that the sight of him elicited. Without even intending to, she dropped to the floor in a low bow. She had heard whispers of the Lord from the last time he had come to Kāi Míng but at the time she had been just a novice and not permitted into the inner court. He was an impressive sight. Tall, with muscles running down his arms and his red and gold clothes doing little to contain his impressive level of fitness. Relief flashed through her, if anyone would know what to do - it would be him.

"Keeper of Kāi Míng, what news?" his voice rang with authority and power but not unkindly so and the keeper was struck by the gentleness behind it. She coughed, trying to wet her mouth but found herself temporarily incapable of delivering the vital message.

Zuko offered her a small, reassuring smile and tried again with an easier question.

"Keeper, what is your name?"

This time it was not the ability to speak that the girl lacked but the answer. Had she ever had a name? If she had it had been stripped from her a long time ago on the day she was given to the temple. She thought back, puzzling over hazy memories she hadn't disturbed in years. Her mother and father were but vague blurs, as was her old home - more shapes than actual images. But suddenly a name came to her, a name that she knew with all the certainty in the world belonged to her and despite the terrible burden of the wisdom of the oracle, she felt something lift in her heart.

"My name is Zhi Hui, sire. It means wisdom."

Fitting.

"And your message, Zhi Hui?"

The room stiffened. Everyone held their breath as they waited for the news that was so important a keeper herself had left Kāi Míng to deliver it.

Zhi Hui rose from her bow with all the weight of knowledge balancing on her shoulders. Yes, ignorance was bliss…but unfortunately wisdom was vital. She only wished it didn't have to be her who delivered such bad tidings but she knew, without a shadow of doubt, that this had always been her destiny. It was no mere chance she was named Zhi Hui, this was the thing she had been born to do.

"The oracle has spoken, my Lord. I alone stayed to receive the message, my sisters fled. She spoke of fire and water again."

The memory replayed vividly in the girl's mind, flashes of the claw-like hands, the clouded eyes, the gasping breaths of the oracle.

"'Chaos' she said, sire. 'Chaos. Chaos'" the girl relived it now, barely aware of her audience as she repeated the dire message, fear infecting her voice as if the very aura of chaos had descended on the room.

After a moment of silence, the assembled people began to mutter amongst themselves. This was bad news, indeed, but nothing they hadn't heard already - why on earth had the girl come all the way here just to tell them something they already knew. They began to scoff, their voices rising. Only Katara continued to watch the young girl who seemed to be unaware of the commotion around her, clutching the scroll bearing the words she had come to deliver. Her lips moved but Katara could tell, even over the racket, that no words were coming out. Tears streamed down her face and she recognised in the girl's eyes the same fear she had seen in Zuko's only it was greater than anything she could ever imagine. Something had shaken this girl to her very centre and no one was even listening to her. Katara looked around and noticed that the ignorant men of the council were beginning to rise to leave.

Infuriated she rose to her feet. Some turned to look at her, the first being Zuko who stared in confused silence, but others continued towards their exits.

Standing before all these angry men, Katara couldn't help the wave of uncertainty that rushed over her. She was unused to these formal council assemblies and completely ignorant of protocol, was she even allowed to speak? One last look at the bewildered girl on the floor gave her the courage to find her voice, this girl had more to say and Katara would ensure she was allowed to say it.

"Listen to her!" Katara shouted. Her voice echoed through the vast hall, riding up and over the dull drone of men's voices. Surprised, everyone now gave Katara their attention. Glaring around at the men, Katara waited for a response. The majority immediately sat, confused by the imperative in the voice of such a young female but unable to resist such natural authority. With a glance of her steeley eyes, the remaining standing quickly found their seat on the bench. Slightly embarrassed, but quietly pleased with herself, Katara too sat, missing the glance between a smiling Uncle Iroh and a stunned Zuko.

Zhi Hui looked up at the men again, moving her mouth soundlessly, trying to find the right words. She settled for the oracle's, for who knows the value of words better than the chosen speaker?

"He is come."

Exhausted, the girl collapsed onto the stone floor. Breathing a sigh of relief to have achieved her destiny, she allowed herself to slip into the deep sleep she had deprived herself of to get here as quickly as her horse would carry her. Servants came and carried her to one of the guest chambers where she might recover at peace.

All was silent. No one dared to speak. Katara did not understand why but she knew something terrible had happened and didn't dare break the silence to ask Zuko to explain.

"So it begins." every eye in the court turned towards the speaker. Zuko's uncle, the leader of the elders, the wisest of all the Fire Nation had stood and spoken those three words. Still, no one else spoke. There was no need for words. The majority understood and those who didn't, younger men of the council - apprentices, felt the infectious fear and remained silent.

"Our world was made in equilibrium. The sun sets and so the moon rises. Black and White. Life and Death. Ying and Yang. Fire and Water" he paused, with the briefest of glances to the young couple on whom the hopes of the world now rested. "Balance is essential."

Iroh thought back to the scrolls, books and writings he had devoured as a young man hungry for knowledge. He remembered the moment he had come across that scroll. At the time he had disregarded it as mere fiction, legend. In truth, it had always haunted him. Looking around at the assembly he realised he was not the only one. With a weary sigh he continued.

"We waited so many years, through many a dark hour, for the Avatar believing him to be our ultimate saviour. Did we really believe? Or did we just hope?"

Katara realised she had been holding her breath as she saw the expression in Iroh's eyes; Iroh who had always been wise and good. Iroh who now stood before them with the shadow of fear and hopelessness in his eyes.

"My friends, balance has come. We can no longer rely on the avatar to be the ultimate being. The Hēi àn has risen. It has begun."

Chaos erupted. Shouts of panic or rage drifted over garbled discussions. Zuko fought to restore order but fear had taken a hold of the peoples' hearts and no Fire Lord was any match against such a powerful force. Suddenly, the doors to the hall were flung in and a foot soldier sprinted into the middle, forgetting to bow in his haste.

"Sire! News from the east front. An army of Earth Kingdom rebels are assembling and will have crossed the water by tomorrow nightfall!"

* * *

Katara sat alone in her room. After the messenger's announcement, which came directly on top of the oracle's bleak prophecy, an emergency war meeting had been summoned. She could remember clearly Zuko kissing her hand and telling her to go wait in her new room and he would come to see her later. For once she hadn't argued. The feeling of bewilderment was overwhelming. She knew the legend. Everyone knew the legend. Though they had different names, the figure remained the same for each nation. The Hēi àn. That's what Iroh had called him. Katara had know him as Mørke in the nightmarish stories Sokka had told her as a child to frighten her. Mørke was everyone's worst nightmare but that was where he had remained for longer than anyone could remember - in dreams, nightmares, fantasies. He wasn't real. He wasn't. Katara rocked slowly on the bed, childish stories instilling the same fear in her that she felt then. Mørke. The black avatar. He had come. Katara knew then that every nation could hold all the talks and meetings they wanted but no one had any idea how to stop him.

Shaking her head, she forced herself to focus on more imminent dangers - in that very moment, Zuko was discussing how best to approach the Earth Kingdom rebels. Everyone was aware of the possibility that Fire Nation rebels might choose to join them making the matter far more complicated. Zuko had never looked for a war, she knew that much, but a war had come to him and he had such limited time to devise a response. Katara realised that the fear she felt thinking of Zuko on the battlefield was greater than anything the phantom shadow of Mørke had ever aroused in her. And so, like any other woman who knows her fiancé is about to engage in battle, Katara waited with painful impatience for Zuko to come and tell her the news as he promised he would. Unlike other women, Katara was already planning how effective she could be in the battle at Zuko's side.

* * *

With a strangled scream Katara shot upright in bed. She hadn't even realised she'd fallen asleep, last thing she remembered was sitting down after practising some basic water-bending motions. Her clothes were crumpled and her hair tangled but at that moment the two facts didn't even process in her mind. Katara was reliving the nightmare, staring unseeingly at the door as silent tears weaved their way down her skin. Zuko had been on the battle field, bold and powerful as fire circled dangerously around him, focus in his eyes and strength in his clenched fists. He had taken down enemy after enemy. A soldier tried to catch him off guard and attack him from behind but Zuko had spun at the last moment, catching his arm effortlessly and throwing his sword away from him before throwing the now petrified man to the floor and turning away - letting him flee rather than face death. He had smiled, adrenalin rushing to him in the heat of a battle he looked sure to win. But then the laugh. Katara choked at the memory. A sinister, disjointed, _manic _laughter had echoed out across the battlefield, freezing everyone in place. Zuko, distracted had let his guard down, the fire vanishing into smoke. At that moment an arm had shot out of the crowd. But it was no human arm. It seemed to made of pure darkness…no, no it was not made of darkness but rather the complete absence of light. Bile rose in Katara's throat and she ran to the bathroom to be violently sick. She had seen Zuko's body twisted before her, had seen first one leg then the other snapped as the giant hand of blackness toyed with it's prey, laughing all the while. Everything else had vanished and all that was left was Zuko's screams of pain at the hands of the unseen torturer. He had cried out for her. Just as a shaft of darkness had pierced through his chest, destroying his very heart, he had called her name.

And he had died.

Katara began to hyperventilate, clutching at he own heart. Zuko could not die. Not now. She would protect him, she would keep him from going to the war himself. No, no that wouldn't work he would insist on going with his men. Then she would just have to watch him. Constantly. It was selfish and she knew that, her job would be to heal the wounded but she couldn't, she would not risk leaving Zuko's side and if that thing came she would be ready. With determination in her eyes Katara ran to the window, flinging the curtains wide to observe the light of a new day. It was morning. The men would be leaving soon. She had to hurry. She ran to her wardrobe and flung on some training clothes, wrapping her precious bag of water to her waist she ran towards the door. Reaching for the handle, she missed it as it was pulled open from the other side and landed against the strong chest of none other than Zuko.

She froze for a second, looking into his eyes she was overcome by such a barrage of emotions that she felt like she couldn't breathe. She pulled against him and clung fiercely to the cloth of his shirt. Confused by her reaction to him but undeniably content, he wrapped his arms just as tightly around her, resting his lips for the briefest of seconds against the top of her head.

She pulled away, trying to hide her actions as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"When do we leave?"

Zuko had expected this, he had known she would want to come - it was why he hadn't come to her last night and risked another explosive debate.

"In 15 minutes. I'm just going to collect something from my quarters so you wait here and I'll be right back for you, ok?"

For a split second Zuko thought she suspected him but after a pause she nodded briefly and smiled bravely up at him. It was that smile that he would take to battle with him. Tenderly, he ran a finger along the side of her face. Now was not the time for fear but the time for action. Hadn't he said exactly that to his council last night?

Decisively he pulled Katara to him. Tangling his hands in her wild hair he crushed his lips to hers, closing his eyes tightly to burn the feel of this which he had longed for into his memory. He felt Katara's hands snake around his neck and pulled her as close against him as was possible. In that short moment Zuko felt everything. Everything that had ever been felt by any single person in the world flashed through the connection between the two young water benders made by their kiss. Their's was a love that had never and would never be seen again and in that moment they both knew it.

Zuko pulled away. He looked at her one last time, running his thumb along her bottom lip. With more effort than he had ever needed before in his life he turned away, forcing himself to the door. Just as he reached it, he was stopped by her voice.

"You'll come back…right? Just after you've gone to your room you'll come straight back for me, ok? Promise?" Katara was frightened, something in that kiss - their first kiss - had been too urgent, too desperate.

With a deep breath, not trusting himself to turn around, Zuko replied.

"I promise."

He left the room.

One second later and Katara heard the dull click as the key turned in the lock, sealing her in.

It took her barely a second longer to understand what had happened, what Zuko had planned all along. She ran to the door, flinging herself against it and threatening to break it down with her bare fists.

"YOU PROMISED, ZUKO! YOU PROMISED ME YOU'D COME RIGHT BACK!"

She kicked blindly at the doors, unable to see through the thick fog of tears. Collapsing against it and unsure if he was even still there she resorted to begging.

"Please Zuko! Please let me come with you! I'll go crazy if you leave me here! You can't go without me! Zuko! Are you listening!? ZUKO!?"

He had locked her in the room to protect her, she knew that, but it hurt no less as the fear threatened to overwhelm her. She cursed herself for not recognising the plan earlier and throwing her arms around her face she sobbed loudly as images from her nightmare flashed behinds her tightly shut eyes.

She heard a shuffle and looking down she saw the corner of a letter slide under the door. Grabbing it, trying to believe it was Zuko saying there had been some mix up, she ripped it open.

Three words.

The three words she knew they had both wanted to say since that moment in front of Azula.

"I love you."

With a cry like a wounded animal Katara returned to her efforts to break down the door.

Unbeknownst to her, the very man she was crying for was standing against the other side of the door. Biting his lips, he forced back tears at the sound of her voice. He had known she wouldn't accept his decision to leave her behind willingly. He had tricked her because he loved her, because he knew that if he took her onto the field of war - though he would give his life time and again to save her - if she got hurt he would have no reason to live. He could not risk any harm ever coming to the only person who had brought light into his life. Even knowing this, the pain in her voice and the vibrations of the door as she flung herself against it were tearing his heart into pieces. He hated himself for knowing he was the one to cause her any pain. But he had to do it. Dragging the back of his hand across his eyes he tightened the straps that held his two swords across his back. He loved her. And if saving her meant causing her this temporary pain - so be it. With a determined breath, his jaw tensing as he set his mind to the battle ahead, he strode away from the screams of a girl being destroyed by her love and towards the fight.

This day would decide the rest of their life.

And so it begins.

* * *

_(A.N. Now, I won't lie, guys - I got a little bit tearful writing this. But then I can see the action in my head, so let me know if you got the same effect? The scene was actually inspired by a dream I had last night. I get seriously vivid dreams, anyone know any reason for that because a lot of the people I speak to can barely even remember their's? The two names for the anti-avatar both mean darkness in pinyin Chinese and…Norwegian…I think? Anyway, any questions, improvements to be made or bits you enjoyed please PLEASE let me know? It really does help to know what people think? For my last chapter I got a review from _water crab_ saying that she wished we could have seen into Katara's mind a bit more and, _water crab_ if you're reading this, I have tried to improve on that. Although I still think I might be a bit biased towards Zuko? I am sorry but he's just so much fun to write in! So that's me done for this chapter. I've got the basic idea for the next one so it should be up relatively soon (I hope). As always, thank you for reading!)_


	15. The Mockingbird

_**Chapter 15: The Mockingbird**_

Zhi Hui breathed in the air deeply. Trotting through a glade of trees, their calming green light giving her and her horse a pleasant glow, it was hard to believe that just a few miles south war was about to begin - perhaps had already begun. The Fire Lord had spoken to _her_ directly, concerned for her health he had pressed her to stay in the palace a few more days to recover but she knew she had to get back. She smiled at the memory of the Lord's kindness, reassured by the fact that he was their ruler - if anyone would claim victory against the Earth Kingdom it was him. Significantly more relaxed than when she had arrived, Zhi Hui had left the gates of the palace that morning, weighed down by gifts from the Fire Lord's new fiancée. Zhi Hui liked the girl, there was something kind but strong about her.

Without warning or explanation Zhi Hui felt the air around her chill, she clutched at her chest as it seemed to stifle her, move in on her, dense and tight and claustrophobic. She couldn't breathe. Distracted, she let go of the reigns and the frightened stallion bolted from beneath her, throwing her backwards into the dewy grass. With a gasp she felt the wind forced from her lungs as she threw her hands around her head. Tense, she instinctively reached for the small knife held by all Keepers and got painfully to her feet. No sooner was she standing then she felt something clawed grab her throat and throw her backwards into the wide trunk of a tree. Spluttering, choking, Zhi Hui struggled once again to a stand and faced her attacker. What she saw made the blood freeze in her veins, goose bumps flush down her limbs and her hand drop the ceremonial knife - it was already no use to her.

"The Hēi àn." she whispered.

A chilling laugh was her only reply.

In the shadows of the trees, all Zhi Hui could make out of the creature was a clawed hand that was blacker than any night she had ever seen, seemingly so solid and yet at the same time like it was made of some kind of gas.

"I do not fear you." she said, louder this time. Searching her heart, she realised it was true. She had known in that moment in the hall of the palace that her purpose was done. Perhaps she, the youngest Keeper of them all, had played her part in the shaping of destiny and the salvation of the world. For this reason she knew she was not afraid.

"Did you intend to warm them, Keeper of Kāi Míng? Were you on your way to tell them I have come?" the voice scoffed. Zhi Hui shuddered with disgust at the sound of it - it was sickeningly sweet but filled with the cruelty of the ages. The contrast brought bile to the back of her throat. She spat at the creature. An angry hiss physically stung her from the darkness beneath the trees. With a smirk, she realised that it did not yet know of her journey to the palace - he did not know that she had already given her message. So this would be her last blow then? She knew without a doubt that he would kill her anyway, he was jut toying with her now. If that was the case then she would have the last laugh.

"Did you come to stop me, Hēi àn?"

With shallow breaths, all the time fighting for oxygen in the dense air, she took a shaky step forward, chuckling. For a second she felt the air around her lighten - the beast obviously distracted by her mood.

"I will tell you now, Hēi àn, you are too late."

For one second, Zhi Hui felt the glow of pride, of honour, of knowing that she had fulfilled her destiny in ways other Keepers would only ever dream of. The next second she felt her spine crash not into a tree but through it and into the trunk of the one behind. Pain shot through her, burning wherever it touched. Though she fought for control she could no longer contain the agony and a scream like no other burst from her pierced lungs. She grit her teeth, biting her tongue as a distraction to silence herself as the beast advanced on her.

"So," he paused directly in front of the battered girl and Zhi Hui saw him for what he really was and once again realised fear. In that moment, she found herself grateful for her impending death so terrible was the figure before her. "the mockingbird has already sung her song?"

So swiftly that Zhi Hui did not see it coming, she felt a sharp stab directly through what she knew was her heart. With a choking gasp, she felt the life seep out of her. Raising her eyes one last time to the sight of sunlight through the glade of trees she let herself give in to the pain, slipping into an unconsciousness that she would never wake from.

* * *

_(A.N This is just a short chapter to reassure people that I am still continuing with the story. Unfortunately my university has dumped so many essays on me that I want to cry right now so I'm falling a bit behind compared to how often I wanted to write. But. In a couple of weeks that will all be over with and I've already got a vague idea of how the next chapter is going to go which - considering I never plan anything I write - is pretty good going for me! Poor Zhi Hui is no more, I'm afraid. I'm really sorry but I'm not a big fan of Ocs for the good guys. Baddies - yes, goodies - no. I just don't see the point, They distract from the Zutaraness lol. Ok, hope you enjoyed. I promise I will get that next chapter out A.S.A.P (and I mean that) because I know this chapter was probably a bit of a disappointment because it wasn't about Zutara. I hope it wasn't too bad and I'm going to stop rambling now._

_Thank you for reading!_

_Holly Jane Elizabeth)_


	16. Revelations

_**Chapter 16: Revelations**_

"Let me out this instant! I'm warning you, one day I'll be Fire Lady and then you're all going to be sorry for this!"

Hearing those words rush past her lips, Katara was certain that her promise to Zuko had come true - she had indeed gone crazy. Shame rushed her. She has never asserted authority to get anything in her life and here she was flinging around the title of Fire Lady just to get her own way.

"Please." she whimpered weakly, sliding slowly down against the door to land in a crumpled heap on the floor. She was not this person. She wasn't this weak. This was all Zuko's fault, she'd kill him when she saw him.

A chill shot through her reminding her of her dream. What if she never saw Zuko again? He had promised he wouldn't leave her! He couldn't leave her! She needed him, needed him in a way she had never needed anything before. She knew in that second that she would sacrifice anything to protect Zuko. She was in love in a very real, very dangerous way.

Hearing a noise outside the door Katara flung herself out at the solid wood once again.

"Please!" she shouted desperately at the unseen person. "Please, you've got to let me out. Zuko's in trouble! I need to help him!"

She paused, waiting to hear any signs of the door being opened. She heard steps. No. No they were going the wrong way, they were walking away from her. How much time had she already lost? Zuko would be over half way to the battlefield now. She couldn't waste this opportunity.

"No!"

Her voice caught as she fought to hold back the overwhelming rush of tears.

"You can't leave me in here! He will die!"

A pause in the footsteps then they renewed. Still the wrong way!

"I LOVE HIM!"

The truth in Katara's voice resonated throughout the palace, her pain infiltrating the souls of those close enough to be touched by it. The footsteps stopped. Closer. Katara would have sworn that that footstep had sounded closer. Then another, definitely coming back towards the door. Step after step and she could hear the person come right up to her door again then stop. She spring up, rushing clumsily to get out of the way of the door so her saviour could release her. Her heart pounded in her throat as she heard the click of a key through the thick door. Her palms grasped each other in front of her, nails biting into the tan skin. Her legs were already braced to sprint to the side of the man she loved. Nothing could stop her in that second.

Nothing except the person who opened the door.

Katara felt her knees weaken, her clasped hands fell apart and her dried mouth opened and closed wordlessly like a fish.

"So you love him?"

The accusation in Aang's voice cut through her. She had gone over this potential moment over and over again in her guilt but never had the boy she loved like a brother ever had to find out in this way. And had never had the shame she felt stung her so deep as it did now. She forced herself to raise her eyes to meet the young man's, grown even taller in her absence and now burning with some inner passion that she had never seen in him before.

He was hurt.

And she had hurt him.

The knowledge cut her like a knife.

She could see the betrayal swim in the tears he was barely managing to hold back. She could read the heartbreak scored into the tension running through every single bone. She had never meant for this to happen. Even as she had agreed to marry Zuko a part of her had still belonged to Aang. Now, even in this very second as he stood opposite her glaring his accusations at her, even now a part of her still belonged to him. Only since realising her feelings for Zuko was she able to differentiate between the types of love. Yes, she did love Aang but she loved him like a sibling, or like a mother would love a child. In the drawn out silence Katara flashed through memories of kissing Aang. Then that kiss with Zuko. Their first. Possibly their last. Suddenly, she remembered the situation. She had to get to Zuko.

"Aang, I am _so_ sorry."

The words sounded silly, useless.

"But I need to go to Zuko, he's in danger."

Looking at Aang's face, the fresh emotional wound obvious in the tears that spilled over, she knew she was being cruel but couldn't bring herself to regret it right now, not if it saved Zuko.

"You didn't think to let me know? That you'd left me, that you'd fallen in _love_ with another man?" Aang choked on the word 'love' and guilt rushed through Katara all over again.

"Aang…." she hunted for the truth - surely she owed him that much. "…Aang, I didn't realise."

He cut her off, scoffing.

"You didn't realise you'd got engaged? Because as far as I've heard - not from you of course - but as far as I've heard you made quite an impressive acceptance speech!"

The bitterness didn't fit his voice and a part of Katara wanted to rush over and soothe him, to tell him it was all a lie and she was still his. But that part was small and every other particle of Katara was already fleeing to Zuko's side. Time was ticking by - she couldn't afford to waste this time.

"I meant I didn't realise I loved him," her explanation sounded ridiculous even to her, had it always been so obvious? She forced herself to carry on despite knowing the pain she would cause. "But I do love him and, Aang, if I don't go to him now he will die. I will give you anything, just let me go to him." The calmness she had manufactured into her voice gave way to a staccato sob.

"Anything?" Aang whispered and Katara, sensing a resolution, nodded eagerly.

Aang paused, seemingly undecided about something. When he looked at her, she saw once again the boy who loved her - the one who gazed at her as if she was the only person in the world, he held that gaze on her now though it was marred by the tears.

"Then kiss me." he whispered, almost scared by his own request.

Before either of them could even think, Katara's lips were on his. He breathed in her scent, so familiar. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her to him, crushed her against his chest, anything to keep her with him. He poured every feeling he had ever had for her into the kiss. She needed to know what she meant to him, that he would give her everything. He loved her. Feeling tears on his cheek he briefly pulled away. Katara stumbled back with a gasping sob. She was surprised to feel not guilt for Aang this time, but for Zuko - she never wanted to kiss another man ever again.

Aang gazed at the wounded animal in front of him. She looked repulsed….by him. She was no longer his, he realised that now. Had she ever been? No. He had denied it every second he had been with her but she had never belonged to him, not in the way he now realised she belonged to Zuko.

"Go."

Katara's head shot up to look at the man before him. His jaw was held determined and she wondered how much effort it was costing him to look so strong at a moment like this. He wouldn't look at her, looking into the vague distance instead. He knew if he looked at her this carefully held resolve would crumble and he would slam the door shut and refuse to ever give her up.

"Aang, I…"

He shook his head. He didn't want her apologies, couldn't bear the sound of her voice. With a deep breath he managed to look in her direction, just above her head.

"They were delayed," he coughed awkwardly, hating himself, hating her. "Something about packing. They'll barely be half way there. With a fast horse you'd be able to catch up with them."

Katara processed this knowledge slower than she should, her mind fumbling over the new hope as though scared it might break it. She stumbled to her feet and towards Aang, ready to throw her arms around him in gratitude.

"Thank you, Aang, thank you so much!"

He grasped her arm, stopping her advance towards him.

"Don't, Katara" he whispered her name, finally looking at her so he could remember forever her face, the face of the woman he loved. He didn't know how long it would be before he had the strength to return to this palace. "Just….just go."

As he turned away from her, Katara again felt the urge to run to him, to take away the pain she had caused. Torn, she glanced from Aang's back to the door and knew where her destiny now lay, it was halfway towards the Earth Kingdom border in the heart of a fire bender.

With one last look at the man she had never meant to hurt she sprinted out of the door and towards the courtyard. She knew of one horse they would not have risked taking to battle - it was new and had a wild temperament. Katara just had to trust that it would understand her need and work with her.

Reaching the courtyard, she smiled weakly with relief to see the large white horse was still there, huffing and stamping it's hooves into the ground. She ran up to it and stroked its mane tentatively.

"Hey there, Time." a suitable name, "I need you to help me, ok? Please."

Looking into the large hazel eyes of the wild horse she had faith that he understood, it lowered its neck smoothly, almost inviting her to saddle him. Instead, she jumped on bare back and whispered in the high ears of the young horse.

"Give me speed, Time, I need you."

Seeming to understand, the horse barely waited for the flick of the rains before shooting off, leaving bewildered grooms and stable hands in the dust. With one last look back at the palace Katara forced the guilt from her mind, focusing on her single purpose. She would keep Zuko alive. Whatever the cost.

* * *

_(A.N. Poor Aang. I do feel bad for him. But I just don't like him as much as I like Zuko. He's totally wrong for Katara. No one likes the 100% good guy now, do they? So Katara is rushing to Zuko's side and I am rushing to the next chapter. So hopefully that'll be up soon! As always, thank you so much for still reading. Let me know if your disappointed or pleased by anything - it really helps with the whole motivation aspect. I can't believe how long this is getting now, we broke the 30,000 barrier with this chapter! Stick with me guys, it's set to be a bumpy ride!"_


	17. The Cost of Love

_**Chapter 17: The Cost of Love**_

A lone soldier sprinted through the crowds, his intention and target clear in his manic stare. Pushing off from his front foot he leaped high into the air. With no weapon but his bare hands the soldier settled for landing heavily on the Fire Lord's back and locking his arms around his throat. He pulled as hard as he could, choking the young man, but was surprised to realise he was still standing. No sooner had he realised this than he felt a strong grip on his arms. A hand had clasped him just above each elbow and was now steadily prying his arms from the neck he had held to. As he finally released his lock he felt his body swung effortlessly through the air to be smashed onto the ground before the man he had previously been attacking. Looking up into the eyes of the most powerful Fire Bender on the planet, he wondered why he'd ever believed such a paltry plan would work, it was like someone had taken over his mind for those brief moments. Those eyes burned down into him. Though the man was young - barely 18, if that - the soldier felt fear and respect he had never experienced before. This boy could rule the world if he wanted to. He tensed and closed his eyes tightly - ready for the feel of fire scorching his skin…but it never came. Opening his eyes he found the young Fire Lord staring at him curiously. He leant down and spoke calmly to the man.

"This battle is over. Go back to your leader and tell him to save what men he can."

Pausing for only a second in confusion, the man leapt to his feet and raced off to obey the merciful and wise young Lord's instructions. As he ran, he remembered ever bitter tale he'd been told of the brutality of the Fire Nation. For once, he questioned their truth.

Zuko stood in the midst of the battlefield, taking advantage of the Earth Kingdom's losses to take a break and count his. There was still too much activity to really be sure but at a quick estimate he could see no more than 8 Fire Nation bodies. He offered a silent prayer for these lost souls before congratulating himself and his other men - they had fought well and the ground was littered with scraps of green and the blood of the earth benders. There was a time, he knew, when he would have delighted in not the safety of his men but the death of others - now he realised it was an unnecessary loss and he pitied the men and their families. There had been fruitless efforts to negotiate before the battle had begun. Zuko himself had strode forward and tried to reason with the Earth Kingdom rebel army - bigger than his but, even from a distance, visibly less trained. A green arrow that shot from the enemy ranks and skimmed his shoulder had ended such discussions and Zuko had rejoined his men to greet the advance swarming towards them. He checked the wound now, clean. And small - it had really only grazed his shoulder. Which didn't make sense. Even with poor training an archer should be able to hit a stationary solitary figure better than that. Zuko began to suspect that there was some greater driving force behind this battle and was immediately back on his guard. Suddenly wary, the scarred leader shot bolt after bolt of fire at the ground, forming a protective ring around himself, buying him time to try and work out this surprising twist of events.

* * *

Katara urged Time faster and faster, shouting encouragement at him over the wind that rushed past her face. They could make it, she could see the start of the battle field from here. She could not be too late. Reds outnumbered greens by a great deal - never had Katara thought she would be thankful for such a situation but, had she time, she would have got down on her knees and praised the Gods for it. The fighting was too dense to carry on on horseback so she quickly lead Time to a tree and twisted his reins around a branch - loose enough that he could get away if he needed to but tight enough that she hoped he'd stay. Taking a second, she rested her forehead against Time's wondering how best to convey her gratitude to the young horse who had flown her here. Right now, she had nothing on her that would be of value to a horse but when she got back to the palace she would ensure he was given the best treats money could buy.

"Thank you, my friend." she breathed "Thank you." And with one last stroke of his white mane, Katara sprinted away into the mess of battle.

Checking her water supply and her dagger as she ran, she chastised herself for not being aware of her surroundings as she nearly tripped over a fallen Earth Kingdom soldier. The healer in her longed to rush to the man's side though she was sure he was already dead but she forced her legs forward, onward towards the heart of the battle where she was sure Zuko would be. She blocked and dodged attacks without thinking; a knife flew at her from some unseen attacker but she easily leapt out of its path, hoping that it would not hit someone else as a result. A fire bolt, intended from an Earth soldier singed her skirt but she deftly put it out with a small splash of water from her pouch. Her thoughts were consumed by her desire to reach Zuko, to save him for without him Katara had begun to wonder if there was any point to her life.

There! A ring of fire blazed barely 10 metres ahead of her. She froze, unable to breathe or move. Standing in the very centre of the ring was her Zuko, her Fire Lord, her love. Only right now she would have sworn he was no mortal but a God. One hand was clenched into a fist, power radiating from the simple sight, the other was gesticulating, pointing in various directions as he shouted orders to the captain before him. It was hard to understand, looking at this sight, why anyone would go to battle against such a man. Katara stared. He had discarded the heavy uniform and armour and now stood in simple training pants of light cotton, red and dusty. Katara felt her stomach twist with desire as she admired the chiselled veins running down his arms, the fine sculpting of his back - the muscles moving and reshaping with every tiny inflection of his body. He was magnificent. And he was alive. A sob breaking through Katara's focus, she roughly brushed the tears from her eyes and stumbled, half-blind, towards the man she would give up the world for. Once again she tripped and frustration streamed from her mouth in the form of curses. She was about to kick whatever had blocked her path to Zuko out of the way when she heard it cough. Another wounded soldier.

"Please don't be red. Please don't be red." guiltily, she realised that she would be able to leave a green soldier - someone who had attacked the man she loved - but a man who had suffered in order to protect him? She wasn't so sure she'd be able to abandon that, even if it did delay her arrival at Zuko's side.

Glancing down, she immediately recognised the red. Stunned, she realised only half of the colour was made by his uniform. The pale soldier was sheathed in his own blood - Katara knew without even looking at his face that if he was still alive, this man would be in more pain than he had ever experienced in his life. She heard a whimper and immediately dropped to her knees, cradling the man's head in her arms she finally brought her eyes to meet his. Tears renewed in her eyes, marring her vision and judgement - she brushed them out of her way.

"Shhhh. Shhhh now. It's going to be ok, you're safe now, I promise." she whispered soothingly. "Do you know who I am?" she asked the man, desperate to keep him conscious though she knew that, right now, he was only longing for death.

"La…" he gasped in pain but gritted his teeth and continued, "Lady Katara"

"That's right," she continued, distracting him as she investigated his wound - a large and terrifyingly deep slash from one shoulder to the opposite hip. It was a miracle he wasn't already dead. "And I'm a healer so I'm going to help you."

"Am I…am I going to die?" the man whispered, so low that Katara had to struggle to hear him against the noise of battle surrounding them.

"No. I swear to you, you will live." she said sternly, grasping the frightened man's hand for a second before returning to her work - she had no intention of breaking that promise.

Chancing a brief look up towards Zuko, only seconds away from her but as unaware of her presence as she was aware of his. Her heart jammed to a halt as she saw a soldier running, running towards him. Now leaping over the ring of fire. But Zuko was distracted, firing bolt after bolt as an Earth Kingdom soldier attacked one of his men. His focus split between his desire to save his man and maintaining the protective ring, he had no more attention to spare for the man diving towards him from behind, his sword raised high above his head. Katara searched for the words that would warn Zuko of the impending danger but found none and besides, it was already too late, the sword was barely an inch from Zuko's neck. Then, at the very last possible second, Zuko spun. He caught the man's arm sending him crashing to the ground, and flung the sword away from him. Without a word he turned from the man, his attention back to his own men, and the green soldier stumbled to his feet and fled. Katara would have sworn she saw Zuko smile and, relief breaking through her like a waterfall, she turned back to her work, closing her eyes as she balanced the healing water precariously over the seemingly fatal wound in the soldier's chest. Giving herself completely to her healing she felt the water seep into the wound, drawing the flesh back together to close it up, encouraging the blood to flow in the body again not out of it. Calm rushed through her as she felt the man's heart speed up beneath her finger tips, felt his strength growing.

A laugh broke through her focus.

A chilling, merciless laugh that made her blood freeze and her breath catch.

Images from her dream flashed back through Katara's mind in quick succession.

A ring of fire. A man attacking Zuko from behind. A laugh. Zuko raised from the ground. Zuko's pained eyes. Zuko's broken limbs. Zuko.

Her head shot up.

Darkness had descended around Zuko's ring.

She grabbed the two nearest red fighters and shouted instructions to get the healed man off the battlefield then renewed her sprint towards the fire and the darkness.

She saw the fire extinguished, smoke trailing upwards in grey ribbons. Zuko had lost his focus. She was too late. No - she'd been on time. If she hadn't stopped she could have saved him. She ran. Closing the distance until she was right behind her love. She screamed to warn him, to move him, to save him.

"ZUKO!"

He spun. Emotions scrolling across the face - so mixed but so easy to read for her. Happiness. Confusion. Frustration. He took a step towards her. Surprise.

Something had grabbed him from behind.

A hand. A clawed hand made of pure darkness, no…no it was not made of pure darkness but rather the complete absence of light. This was not how it was meant to happen. Katara had come to warn him but she had distracted him. He would have fought it if he hadn't seen her.

She saw him, raised above the ground in the vice like grip of this beast of darkness. The battle had frozen around him as men, green and red alike, stared in dismayed horror at the Fire Lord's valiant but wasted efforts to free himself. But no eyes displayed the true suffering of the moment like those of the young woman clad in blue, dropped to her knees in the moment of realisation. She had been tricked. That thing had wanted her to come - whether it was to distract him or just so she could watch she was unsure, but she had done its bidding. And now Zuko would pay.

No.

She was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She was a water bending _master_, she had fought by the side of the avatar and played her part in the salvation of this world. For this? Was this her reward? To find the man she truly loved then have him die before her. And even if it was, was she really going to give up? Was she going to take this sitting down or was she going to fight? And if she died trying - so be it. She had no desire to live in a world that didn't feature Zuko, anyway.

She heard the snap of a bone and her mind was made up.

She looked up to the man she loved, his face grimacing in pain but no sound issuing from his lips - if he could be that strong then so could she.

"Let him go." she said loudly, mustering as much strength as she could to walk forward into the sight of the creature. Only now did Zuko speak.

"Katara, NO!"

She raised her eyes and smiled at the man she had come to love like no other, the man for whom she would die in a heartbeat.

She panicked for a second. Pakku had spoken of this technique but she had never even seen it done let alone tried herself. He had warned her that it should only be used when all other hope was lost. Against such an enemy and for such a purpose, Katara had to believe she was capable.

Another crack of bone and this time a small scream of pain.

The time was now.

To her audience of bewildered soldiers, a king and a creature of darkness it looked as though she were dancing. She moved with grace and poise, her hands twisting to form intricate spider webs of water in the air.

That laugh echoed once more.

"Will you dance for me, little water bender? Do you think to please me so that I might release your precious fire boy?" the voice broke into the hearts of every man watching, stealing their faith and strength and forcing them to their knees. Katara alone stood tall, continuing her dance as though nothing had been said. Even in his hazy, pain-filled half-consciousness Zuko couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she was. He hair twisted around her with every move, her legs spun on the tips of her toes, stretching to a point then curling back around to land lightly on the floor. Like Zuko's ring of fire, a ring of delicate watery patterns seemed to be suspended in mid air around Katara, they no longer looked like cobwebs but more like words though Zuko did not recognise the language or the characters. He felt the beast's grip around his ribs tighten painfully.

"No." he heard it mutter and Zuko would have sworn he heard the smallest twinge of fear in it's scratching voice.

Katara was still except for small, bird-like movements with her hands. Her eyes were closed but a deep blue glow seemed to be emitting from them. The glow began to appear surrounding her hands. Zuko's eyes swept back to her face, a small frown of frustration appearing as her mouth moved quickly, forming words but emitting no sound.

Zuko screamed as, once again, the grip closed tighter. As he felt a sharp stab somewhere in his chest he fought the call of blackness, he would not lose consciousness - not while Katara was here and in danger. He tried in vain to tell her to get away but found he no longer had the strength to make sound.

As Katara heard the scream, heard the pain in her Lord's voice, her eyes flashed open. A light beamed from them, fighting off the darkness and the creature was forced backwards a step. In that split second it realised it had underestimated the small girl before him. Yes, she was more powerful than he would ever have believed possible. This thought had barely processed through his mind when he at last understood what she was about to do, what she shouldn't have been able to do.

Drawing her hands up to her chest, Katara smiled briefly. She realised what this could cost her but her only thought was to thank the Gods that she had been able to do it, that she could save him. Forcing her hands away from her and towards her enemy a stream of blue erupted from her palms. Some would swear it was water whilst others would swear it was pure light. Either way, all touched by it felt the scrapes and scars of battle erased from their weary bodies. Zuko felt the puncture of his lungs healing, his bones remodelling themselves and strength coming back to him. His eyes widened as he realised the power was coming entirely from Katara. He fought against the weakening grasp of the blackness until, suddenly, he felt it evaporate around him. He fell through the air, landing with skill in a crouch. The darkness began to dissipate, seeping back into unseen corners of the world. Zuko and his men felt the flush of victory. Has this really been the great enemy they had been warned of? Thoughts of success and peace were quickly wiped from their hearts, however, as that laugh swept once more across the battlefield.

"You are stronger than I thought, little fish. Forgive me for underestimating you. I am sure your prince is tremendously happy though he should know that it will take more to defeat me."

Zuko scoffed at the idea.

"I wonder…" the voice continued, as if it had sensed Zuko's disrespect, "Does your Fire Lord realise what the cost of saving his life will be, water bender?"

With a cruel laugh, the darkness was gone. Zuko looked around panicked, already his well-trained men were assembling the prisoners remaining from the Earth Kingdom. He allowed himself a smile. The Hēi àn had lied. Today had been a victory indeed. Spinning, he looked towards Katara - his powerful, water bending bride to be. Her eyes had faded and returned to the sea blue he loved so well. He reached out to her and she smiled weakly. For that second everything was perfect.

Then, as if in slow motion, Zuko saw her sag, her arms dropped to her sides and her knees seemed to buckle beneath her. Her head swung back to reveal that swan-like neck Zuko had longed to kiss. Then she fell. Her lips parting to release the breath within her, she collapsed and hit the ground.

Zuko was alive. That was all that mattered. He would live.

With this thought her eyes closed, giving in, giving up.

She did not see Zuko's face fall, his victorious smile wiped away as soon as he saw her arms drop. Nor did she see him shove aside a group of his own men to run to her or when he collapsed to his knees at her side, clasping her head between her hands and mercilessly trying to shake life into her.

Stuck in darkness, she did not hear the animalistic scream that erupted from the powerful Fire Lord next to her. If she had it would have broken her heart to match his.

_

* * *

_

(A.N. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY. Or Vodka Day as I've renamed it - yes, I'm single and alone and just a tiny bit bitter lol. Ok, can I just reassure you THIS IS NOT THE END. The story does continue. Christ, I don't think I'm actually anywhere near the end yet so you can expect a lot more from me. I have ALWAYS loved the idea of sacrificing yourself for someone you love. That scene in the series end where Zuko throws himself in front of Katara - pretty much my dream except in my dream the right couples end up together! Cue: bitter mumbling. It's killing me at the moment because I can't read Zutara fan fiction because I don't want to be influenced by it but I miss it do much! So I hope you enjoyed reading mine. I did promise an update soon so I've been really trying hard to get this up. Thank you for reading!)


	18. Bedtime Stories

_**Chapter 18 - Bedtime Stories**_

"_What's the point?" Katara asked. The night was dark as she and Pakku sat companionably on the beach. Looking up at the veiled light of the moon, Katara realised she didn't feel the normal comfort she got from such a sight. Tonight she felt bitter and alone, so very alone. Pakku looked at her inquisitively, waiting patiently for her to find the words she needed to elaborate._

"_I'm a good water-bender, aren't I?"_

_Bemused by the strangeness of the remark and the fierceness with which the young girl gazed at him, Pakku simply nodded. Katara reflected the action, as if trying to convince herself._

"_I am good. And one day I'll be great. And that's been enough for me for so long. But, really, what's the point?" _

_Suddenly, she stood and strolled the short distance towards the edge of the ocean - within hearing distance but far enough away that Pakku would not see the tears threatening to spill over from her eyes. Pakku could see the tenseness of her shoulders and knew how much effort it was costing her to try and stay calm - something was sincerely troubling the girl. Again, he waited for an explanation. _

"_Even if I become great, the best even, I'll still be weak. I was a water bender back then and I couldn't even protect my own mother could I!? I hid!? So, what's the point, Pakku, if I won't even be able to protect people I love!?" _

_She spun back to face him, eyes glaring accusations she knew he didn't deserve. Unable to deal with the barrage of emotions, Katara plopped down to the ground - huddling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around them she felt more in control. Still ashamed of her tears, she buried her face in her folded arms - she hated her own weakness._

"_There was a beautiful woman once - a water bender, like you." _

_Katara looked up, her turn to be confused. Pakku was staring into the distance, across the vast expanse of water though Katara knew his sight was really directed inward, focusing on delivering his story. _

"_She was in love with an Earth Man, more in love than any human had ever experienced before. The man was a selfish being, cruel and cold-hearted. He used her for her body, her skill - through her, he became one of the most powerful men in the world for she was not only beautiful but a mighty thing to behold with power like no other water bender. For the sake of her love, she stayed obediently at his side though it broke her heart into pieces to see him flirt and flaunt other women in her face. Such is the weakness of the human heart." Pakku smiled sadly and Katara for once, wondered what he would have been as a young man._

"_With power comes enemies and the man, thanks to his selfish and ruthless lifestyle, had even more than was normal. Assassins and armies were sent and the poor, besotted woman stood alone against every one of them - all for a man who didn't love her. _

_One night, an assassin unlike the others snuck into the palace. The water bender, keeping vigil at the man's bedside, felt his presence and went to meet him in the courtyard. It was a fire bender, a master of his art, perhaps even more advanced than she was. They fought. A bloody and bitter battle with wounds distributed on both sides but the woman was losing. Hearing the noise, the Earth man went out to investigate - arrogant that his safety would always be guaranteed by his pet water bender. He mocked the fire bending assassin, challenged him to try and hurt him. The assassin took the challenge and with speed that the injured water bender couldn't hope to match, he scaled the palace walls and before the earth man could even gasp, the fire bender's warm hands were around his throat. _

_So in love with this man was she, that the water bender realised that if he were to die there would simple be no point in her living. She made a decision in that second - a decision that would cost her her life. Though she had never known where it had come from, she knew there was a power within her that no other water bender possessed - something higher than mere bending. She began to move, instinctively, never knowing what move would come next, simply following the patterns her heart laid for her. _

_The man and his assassin watched, mystified by the intricate and swan-like movements, captivated by the strange glow exuding from the young woman. Finishing her dance, the woman opened her eyes and allowed herself her three last words on this planet. _

'_I love you' she whispered to the man who had never and now would never return such feelings. _

_The glow turned into a light, the purest thing that anyone had ever seen. The light shot from her and towards her target - the assassin that threatened the man she loved. It passed harmlessly over the man but bore into the heart of the Fire Bender - killing him as soon as it touched his skin. Her love was safe."_

_Pakku breathed and Katara matched his action, letting out the breath she hadn't realised she was holding. Suddenly invigorated she leapt to her feet._

"_Well teach me that, Pakku! Come on, you know I'm strong enough - I could learn it. Teach me it and I'll never have to be weak again."_

_Pakku shook his head, that same sad smile playing across his wise lips. He looked fondly at the young water- bender, picturing the fine water-master she would come. He reminded her of the woman in the story._

"_I can not do that, Katara."_

_Looking put out, Katara immediately began her protestations, demonstrating her strength as she bent the water into strong and powerful shapes. Pakku only shook his head._

"_She died, Katara."_

_Katara immediately ceased her showing off. _

"_To protect the man she loved, undeserving as he was, she gave her life. That was the cost of releasing such power. Even if I had such power, even if I understood how to unleash it, I would not teach you." _

_He paused and Katara suspected he suddenly regretted indulging her with such stories. She was right - Pakku knew better than anyone how fanciful the young heart was and it worried him that she should take such an interest in such a technique. _

"_Besides…" he added warily "It is just a story, an old legend passed down through the generations, who know's if it's even true? If you want the strength to protect those you love then you must work hard and practise daily." _

_Katara sighed as Pakku returned to his status of teacher. If nothing else, at least the story had calmed her. With a stretch, she exhaled slowly and got sleepily to her feet._

"_I should probably get some sleep then if I'm going to train anymore." She said, playfully. "Night, Pakku!"_

_She began to walk away._

"_Thank you for the story" she added as an afterthought, despite his warnings Katara had a suspicion at the back of her mind - so small she wasn't even really aware of it at the time - that it would one day prove to be of use to her. _

_

* * *

_

(A.N. Longer chapter next time, promise! Thanks for reading guys. I think we're really getting into the plot now which is awesome!)


	19. A Bargain Is Made

_**Chapter 19: A Bargain Is Made**_

"KATARA!"

The men standing around looked hopelessly on as their Fire Lord screamed her name over and over again. It had been ten minutes since she first collapsed and no one had seen her move or even felt a pulse in all that time. Zuko shook the limp figure in his arms, thinking to force movement back into the heart that lay terrifyingly still beneath her skin. He rained kisses down on her face, covering her eyes, cheeks and lips with his desire for her to wake up.

A movement! Out of the corner of his eye Zuko would have sworn he saw her hand twitch!

Roughly grabbing at Katara's wrist, Zuko pressed two fingers against the pulse point.

Nothing.

"No. No, I saw you! You _just _moved!"

Reaching back up he ran his fingers across her neck - still nothing.

Gently, he pulled Katara's limp body into his arms and cradled her against his chest, resting his lips against her cold, smooth forehead. Rocking slowly, the powerful Fire Lord sobbed like a child, his chest heaving as each cry racked his body. Slowly, his men backed away to give him this time in private.

"This isn't fair." he whispered quietly over and over.

"Things were just starting to work for us. We were going to be happy", he continued, breathlessly, "_I _was going to make you so happy. Why do you think I locked you in that room!? You were meant to be safe! I love you, Katara!" He noticed his voice rising to a scream, noticed the pity and concern in his men's eyes, but he just didn't care. "You can't leave me! I won't let you!"

Standing up with the girl still in his arms, Zuko stared furiously into the sun.

"I will give you anything just give her back! PLEASE!"

He paused, half hoping his half-crazy demands would have elicited some response.

Nothing.

Dropping to his knees again, he was sure he felt something inside break - pain flared across his chest, spreading through his entire body and he was grateful for it because in losing Katara he had failed to protect the only thing that really mattered to him.

Suddenly, a bright light blinded him. Blinking and confused, it took him longer than it should have to locate the source. Katara. Katara was glowing. He entire body was exuding light, like when she had attacked the beast earlier.

She moved!

Zuko was sure of it this time! Repeating his earlier actions he grappled for her wrist. Pausing for only a second, scared that if there was no pulse this time then there really was no hope, he pressed his fingers hard against her skin. There was really no need for such pressure - her pulse was not hard to find, it beat more powerfully than it ever had before, pounding beautifully with such promise against Zuko's finger tips. Staring in awe at the young woman in his arms, Zuko's heart felt like it was about to break through his chest. Watching Katara's eyelids flutter weakly, Zuko felt more happiness than he thought was possible for a human to bear. Absolutely nothing else in the world mattered in that moment but the steady beat of her heart, the glorious rise and fall of her chest.

"Someone get me a stretcher!"

His men stared dumbly in wonder at the sight, their Fire Lady brought back to life - perhaps she truly was a goddess.

"NOW!"

The Fire Lord's voice shook them from their wonderment and three or four stretchers suddenly stood before Zuko. Shaking his head in frustration, Zuko selected the nearest one and laid Katara's body on it gently. Kissing her lips one last time he rejoiced inwardly as he felt them warm, _alive. _

"Zu…" she coughed, life and air spluttering back into her lungs, "Zuko?"

"Shhhh, I'm right here", he reassured her, clinging to her hand like a dying man to an antidote, "You're safe. You're alive! We're going to go home now, ok?"

With enough tenderness to shock his men, Zuko stroked Katara's hair from her forehead.

"I love you." he whispered into her ear. It hit him just how much this was true when he saw a smile blossom across her face as she heard it.

Without any more delay, he ordered his men back to the palace, one riding ahead to warn the healers of the situation. They had lost barely any men that day though, with a stab of guilt, Zuko realised he would have sacrificed every last one of them to keep Katara.

She was alive. Zuko shook his head in wonder, truly the Gods had shown mercy today.

* * *

That evening, Zuko sat impatiently at Katara's bedside. Thought the healers had reassured him multiple times that she was perfectly fine her body just needed time to rest after such a shock, a part of Zuko still held on to the fear that she might leave him again. Standing up, he began to pace restlessly and quickly back and forth in front of her bed.

"Do you have any idea how annoying that is?"

Zuko's head shot up to look at the woman on the bed. Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed Katara pull herself weakly into a sitting position to watch him, a smile lighting up her once pallid face. Zuko ran the short distance to her. At her side he was suddenly unsure what to do - he wanted to kiss every inch of her, he wanted to hold her to him so she could never leave him, he wanted to kiss those lips to show her just how much he loved her, worshipped her. After a pause in which Katara looked at him like he was a blithering idiot he settled for the kiss.

Perching on the edge of the bed, he leant his body over her - protecting her from anyone who might try and take her from him. Slowly, he ran the back of his hand down the length of her face and was delighted to see her lean into his hand, her lips parting slightly.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

He knew how she would react, had planned it intentionally, and he wasn't disappointed. A blush raced across her cheeks and she moved closer against his hand, as if trying to hid behind it.

"Zuko" she whined at him, though he could see the smile beam on her wonderful face.

"Katara" he whispered back, joy spreading through his bones at the mere sound of her name.

Leaning in, he ran his lips across hers, so soft it was like a feather caressing her. Cradling her neck in his large hand, Zuko felt the once still pulse thunder against his palm and allowed himself one small but undeniably smug smirk.

Suddenly shy, Katara couldn't help but panic a little as she felt her body react to the man above her. The blush doubling it's efforts to redden her entire face, Katara tried to ignore the blossoming self-conciousness that spread through her. It was a losing battle.

"Um…" she whispered, panicking and fighting for time. "I…um…It's too….It's too dark in here." she finished, cringing inwardly at her own nervousness.

Zuko laughed softly, not really understanding her nervousness but it seemed that her every action only made him love her more.

"Then would my princess like more light." he stood, bowing flamboyantly to make her laugh - his actions did not go unrewarded as she giggled like a young girl, nodding through her laughter. She had never seen this silly side to Zuko and felt privileged that he showed it to her now.

Walking over to the unlit candles, Zuko prepared to give Katara a little of the magic he had planned for their life together. He knew it was only simple street conjuring, fire shaping had been around as long as fire bending - masters of the art could create entire scenes with just fire. Although Zuko had always deemed it a waste of his time he was proficient enough to impress Katara who he knew had never seen it before.

Moving his hands in smaller patterns than he would use to fight he imagined the shape he would create to light the candles - a rose, burning and passionate. Finishing his movements, he waited for the fire to issue from him and form into the desired shape.

Nothing happened.

That was odd.

Even if he hadn't been able to create any shape some fire should have come out. Shaking his head, he tried again. Still nothing. Perhaps he was just tired. He had heard of that happening, some big emotional stress and your fire bending went out the window. It would be back under control after a good night's rest though. Laughing self-consciously, he instead made an elaborate show of picking up the tapers that lay at the candles' side, lighting each one with a dazzling flick of the wrist.

Soft candle light now flooding the room, he returned to Katara. He decided not to try and kiss her again but instead settled for resting his lips against the back of her hand, clasping it between his. He sat at her bedside and stared in wonder at her eyes, watching the lids close over them and open again every time she blinked - he could stare into those orbs forever and never once be bored. He loved her. And after her actions earlier he would bet that she loved him. There was so much to discuss but they had the rest of the night, the rest of their life, for that. For now, all Zuko could bring himself to do was stroke the back of her hand and burn the memory of her beautiful face into his heart. She was his, she was alive and he would never let her go again.

* * *

_(A.N. Who can guess what's happened!? Oh dear. Sorry if you're a bit disappointed about it never going smoothly for these two but it would have been a much more boring story if Katara had given up her life for Zuko but no, wait - oh it's fine guys, she's ok again! There has to be a cost - Katara gave up her life to save Zuko and I'm sure you've already guessed what Zuko's given up to save Katara. It's a mean world and really you shouldn't go making bargains that are as vague as Zuko's. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if there's anything I should improve on or if there's anything you loved. I've got some free time coming up so I really am hoping to keep the level of updates running high! Thanks for reading!)_


	20. Extinguished

_**Chapter 20: Extinguished**_

Katara paced around her room. She'd barely seen Zuko for two weeks now and her frustration grew with every day. Sure, he popped in occasionally, he gave distracted, one word answers to her attempts at conversation and then he mumbled his excuses and left. At first she had tried to be understanding, to co-operate because she knew how much pressure he was under at the moment. The recent appearance of the Hēi àn had shaken not just the Fire Nation but the entire world and an air of barely restrained panic lay heavily across the palace. All too soon, however, Katara's patience had worn thin and her annoyance took over. Katara was not happy and with her strength nearly fully returned to her she was taking great pleasure in planning ways to punish him for his recent distraction.

Stalking over to her balcony she flung her windows wide. As her bare feet touched the warm stone tiles a calm instantly washed over her. She closed her eyes and raised her face to feel the sun wash over her skin, a small smile blossoming across her delicate mouth. There was a time when heat had made her irritable, so unlike her natural surroundings of the south pole, but more and more, recently, she'd found it soothing and nowadays there was no better cure for one of her moods than feeling it's light caress on her body. The truth was she wasn't annoyed at all with Zuko. She was worried. A small voice that she tried to tuck away in the back of her head insisted on talking and it scared her. Was Zuko's sudden absence due to some waning of his feelings? At first she had ignored the voice but lately it had got harder and harder. They had rushed into this sudden romance. She had felt things in the last few weeks she didn't even know she could feel which, right now, only seemed to make the potential loss even greater. The original plan had been marriage but they hadn't spoken about it since. He had said he loved her but then he had almost entirely disappeared while she'd been ill, stuck in her room and, though she hated to admit it, in need of him. Did she need him because she was ill or did she just need him? The thought both chilled and excited her. She was Katara. She was independent and confident - she had never needed anyone and she didn't feel entirely comfortable needing anyone now. Yet at the same time she relished the fact that she had someone to need, someone that she couldn't bear to live without. This realisation hadn't made it any easier to deal with her fears for Zuko's feelings.

Opening her eyes she looked around at the garden Zuko had created for her. He had made it for _her_. Looking out over it, at how it suited her so perfectly, she felt some reassurance for his feelings. The soft, lush grass called to her, the vibrant fire blossoms fluttered gently in the early summer breeze. As she watched, one lone blossom detached itself from its branch and fell as if in slow motion to land gently on the water's surface. Katara almost scoffed at the unbearably sweet symbolism she couldn't help reading from the event. Shaking her head she realised too much time had already passed, she needed to find Zuko. She _needed _Zuko.

* * *

The heavy doors to the training ground were closed and bolted from the inside. Zuko had ensured that every servant, guard and advisor were safely out of sight of the yard before he had begun his recently developed torturous training regime. A quick warm up then weights, heavier than he'd ever lifted before. Press ups - 100 as standard then an extra hundred then a further hundred and so on until he collapsed, his cheek pressed into the dirt. Crunches, sit ups, chin ups, more weights, squats. Then fighting. Punch after punch burst through the air, kicks so fast and hard they could split atoms. Had anyone been watching Zuko they wouldn't have been able to help but admire his spirit, his ability, his strength. It seemed to erupt from his skin, to roar through his veins. Surely he was the greatest fighter there had ever been? Had anyone been watching they would have seen that admirable strength rip through him and, in a second, destroy him.

The powerful young man crumpled to his knees, his fingers gripping his hair painfully. A scream broke through his restraint and tore through the air around him. Moving his hand to his mouth, Zuko bit down hard on his fist - silencing himself even as his lungs expanded ready to vocalise his suffering again. His other hand wrapped tightly around himself, trying to stop the shaking that was racking their way through his muscles.

It had been two weeks.

Two entire weeks and he hadn't generated so much as a spark. He felt like a singer who'd had their voice box ripped out, a dancer who's feet had been torn from them. Fire bending was his art, his duty, his soul. And it had been taken from him.

Only he and his uncle knew and it hadn't taken Iroh long to work out exactly what had happened. Zuko had been sceptical at first, though his status dictated he believed in the 'higher powers' his belief had always been frail and uncertain.

"But no actual deal was made" he had protested to Iroh's laughable interpretation of the events. Iroh's only response had been to gaze at his nephew with sad, aged eyes. One of the most powerful fire benders to have ever existed - lost. This still reaction, almost like a surrender, had frustrated Zuko almost as much as the loss of his powers itself.

"No. People make deals with thin air all the time, _all _the time! If there were Gods sitting up there stamping seals on every single one there'd be people raising from the dead and recovering from untreatable ailments left, right and centre. You can't bargain with thin air, Uncle!"

Hadn't he made his own attempts to barter in the past? Those early, desperate days where he had pushed himself day after day, scattered resources across the globe and exhausted himself in the hope to find his mother. And wasn't his mother still missing? His haggling hadn't made any difference then so why would it now? There was some more reasonable explanation.

"If Katara was dying in front of you right now, what would you do?"

The very thought had pierced through Zuko's stern exterior right through to his heart. He had gasped, sucking in oxygen desperately to replace that which such a painful image had robbed from him. Iroh had eyed his nephew quietly. Even with his back to him he could see the idea had struck a nerve, a very painful one. He had seen the young man's hand rush to his heart as though he were in the throws of death, had seen the clench of his jaw as he fought to contain the onslaught of emotion. Finally he had rounded on his uncle.

"I would give anything to save her." he hissed.

Iroh had nodded sorrowfully.

Zuko still didn't like it. As prepared as he might have been to accept his uncle's theory it was still sketchy and, at present at least, offered no solution. So he trained. For hours at a time. He went over moves he had learned as a child, the very basics, to moves he was still perfecting, the most complex; willing his powers to return to him.

Today had been the first day he had finally allowed his frustrations to manifest themselves without restraint. The piercing, pan filled scream had left his throat sore and hoarse and Zuko zeroed in on the pain, focusing on anything than the bigger problem. Digging his fingers into the dirt, he felt some small satisfaction as his brute strength still tore through the ground. Finally, with a sigh he heaved his weary form from the dusty ground: gone was the powerful young king, in his place stood an old man, stooped as though the weight of a few millennia balanced on his once strong shoulders. Zuko was tired. Without his fire bending he couldn't help but feel he had lost something, as if the fire in his very soul had been extinguished. Turning slowly towards the large, heavy doors he saw the person he least wanted to see, the person he had been avoiding for two weeks, the person he loved and hated more than anyone.

"Katara…."

* * *

_(A.N. Sooooo……I'm a bad person. I know. I know I really am! And I am so, SO sorry that I have left it this horrendous amount of time and I fully accept if most of my readers have fallen by the wayside and completely given up on me - I deserve that. Turns out it's harder than I expected to balance the whole fan fiction writer vs. miles-and-PILES-of-essays-because-I'm-a-student thing. Plus on top of that you've got to take into account my need, as a uni student, for bad vodka and excessive sleep lol. I _am_ sorry though. Sincerely. And I'll be better now. And if you have stuck with me and are reading this right now then thank you so much and let me know what you think.)_


	21. Weak

_**Chapter 21: Weak**_

The two benders stood silently opposite each other. Katara still found it strange to stand in the arena, the place where she had first realised the extent of her feelings for Zuko though she had fought to deny herself at the time. She looked across at him now. Other than her name he hadn't spoken a single word and the silence between them stretched uncomfortably. The way he stood before her now it was impossible to miss the proud little boy-prince he had grown from; no one could deny he had turned into a fine man, certainly not Katara, but she could still see small hints of who he had once been. He eyed her steadily, his chin raised in defiance, his fists clenched powerfully. For anyone else he exuded unequivocal strength but Katara could see past that. Looking deep into his eyes she struggled through barrier after barrier to try and understand what he was feeling. So much pain. The suffering she discovered behind Zuko's shields almost forced her back a step, such was its force. She quickly retreated. She had gone to Iroh first, of course; he understood his nephew perhaps even better than she did. It hadn't taken much cajoling to extract the information she needed from him. Despite his nephews defiant and proud nature he knew that the only person who could help him now was Katara. He needed her. Hearing Iroh's explanation for Zuko's sudden disappearance had almost broken Katara's heart and she had raced to find him, using her much-hated authority reluctantly to get past the guards and into the arena. Seeing his despair had been the last straw as his pain rushed through her simultaneously. And now here she stood, without a single clue what to do to stop his suffering. She remembered resentfully the time Ty Lee had stolen her bending and even now she felt the pain of the memory - the utter conviction that her very soul had been ripped away. There was nothing that could ease such pain.

"Don't look at me like that." Zuko snapped suddenly, turning his back on her.

Katara started at the noise, pulled from her thoughts so suddenly. She was just about to ask Zuko to explain what he meant when such explanation was offered freely.

"Like a wounded dog. Don't look at me like that. I don't need anybody's sympathy.'

Each word came out in a burst, an individual burst of aggression giving it fire. Katara did not miss the way his voice shook on the word 'dog', the shadowing of shame that crossed the brave words. Her hands reached out to him unconsciously. She longed to run to him, to throw her arms around him, to take every single hurt he had ever forced on him into herself.

"Iroh told me what he thinks has happened." She spoke tentatively, wary of the explosive temper Zuko was fighting to suppress. No response. Katara's eyes slid down the bare skin of Zuko's back, watched the muscles move as he breathed slowly in and out, saw the tensions knotted in his shoulders. She ached to smooth them away. Creeping forward slowly, she reached out to lay a hand gently on his shoulder. No sooner had skin made contact than he jumped away from her as though she had shocked him. Glaring at her, he stalked over to the fountain. He needed something to clear his head, to sort through the rush of emotions that had hit him the moment he had seen her watching him.

Shame was the presiding one. It was almost crippling the shame he had felt the moment he had realised she'd seen him, seen him in his weakest, most vulnerable moment. He had promised himself he would be her protector. Here in this arena, right before the fight with Azula had begun, right when he realised truly for the first time how hopelessly in love with her he was, he had sworn to himself that he would give up anything so that she would never be hurt. Some protector he had turned out to be. He'd kept her alive, sure. This time. What was he to do next time the Hēi àn attacked? Anyone for that matter! Even the simplest of benders would prove a difficult fight to him without his bending. How could he protect the woman he loved if he couldn't bend? And she knew. She knew that he was weak, she had seen him on his knees like a child. He was pathetic.

Yes. Shame was a major player right now but there was something deeper. Something he didn't want to admit, _couldn't _admit. Something he had done his utmost to ignore since he had first realised what had happened. Hatred. He hated Katara. Loved her too. Loved her so much it felt like white hot pokers branding his skin every time the emotion flitted across his radar. His very being was repulsed by the concept and yet he couldn't deny its presence. He hated the woman he loved. He knew that if the event replayed itself, if Katara was lying cold on the floor in front of him right then, even with the knowledge of the pain it would cause him he would readily give up his bending again. Because he could not live without her. But even knowing that, and there wasn't a single part of him that doubted it, he couldn't resist the dark ebb of hatred that occasionally crawled through his thoughts. The conflicting emotions had been driving him insane for the entire two weeks. Her presence only reopened the dilemna, causing him fresh pain as he chastised himself for hating her over and over again.

"You can go now." he said imperiously before ducking his head under the cool water, allowing it to cascade soothingly over the hot, sticky skin on the back of his neck. The irony that water was easing his suffering, even if only a little, was not lost on him and he allowed himself a bitter chuckle.

Removing his head from the small waterfall, he listened intently without turning around. Silence. So she had left. A wave of disappointment rushed through him, surprising him. He had expected the misery to let up if she wasn't there confusing him but it had only intensified. Resentment flared. So, she didn't like him now that he wasn't all powerful, all strong? Maybe she should just go back to her god-like avatar. The thought stung. He acknowledged that he well and truly deserved that. He was being hideous to Katara when she had done nothing. Shame again. This relentless cycle was getting tiresome.

Finally turning around he didn't have time to even register what was happening before a human shape flew and crashed into him. He threw a foot back and clutched onto the creature pressed against him instinctively in a fight to keep his balance. Inhaling sharply in shock, he registered a familiar scent: the ocean. Unable to resist, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeper, burying his nose in her wild brown hair and pulling her against him. His hands wrapped tightly around her waist as he allowed himself just one moment of relief. Desperately, he hunted out her lips, trailing kisses along her hair line and down her jaw until he found them. He threw everything he was feeling into the kiss. Twisting his hands into her hair and bending her head back so he could layer kiss after kiss on the soft skin of her neck. He felt his rage, hurt and hate translate themselves into a burning mass of passion as the small figure arched against him. Shutting his eyes tightly and losing himself in the moment he found his way back to her soft lips and ran his tongue ever so lightly around them with agonising control, more control than he'd felt in a long time. In this moment she was all there was and he clung to her like a dying man. For the first time in what seemed like forever he was able to simply love her. He needed her. He felt her lips part and her tongue dart out to taste him. The touch was like static electricity. It was more powerful than anything he'd ever felt, 100 times more powerful than their earlier, more chaste kisses. He was allowed to revel in it for one mere second before it woke him to his actions. Disgusted at himself he quickly pulled back and forced Katara away from him. The emotions racing across her face did nothing to ease his troubled mind: hurt, confusion, rejection, embarrassment, love - they were all there, all because of him. He dropped his head into his hands, dragging his nails across the skin on his face, and let loose an almighty roar, a roar that conveyed everything he couldn't put into words.

"Zuko" Katara began quietly, fighting the desperate urge to cry "Zuko, please, let me hel…"

"YOU MADE ME WEAK."

The words were more of a howl than anything else and Katara at last understood the barrage of emotions she had seen in Zuko's eyes. And she at last understood what she had to do. Without wasting precious time by explaining she turned on her heel and raced out of the heavy doors, already on the hunt for the one person who could help her in this moment, help Zuko.

* * *

She found Aang in the inner garden, sitting serenely on a stone bench only the smallest of frowns resting on his forehead. Katara cursed herself for being the one who had to disrupt this peace, her of all people who had already hurt him so much. So much of her wanted to turn back, to find another way. She faltered just far enough away that he wouldn't have heard her. There _might _be other ways. She hadn't even considered that. She might be hurting Aang all over again for nothing. Maybe her and Iroh… pushing through her hopes though she saw the broken expression on her love's face. Of everyone, she understood best the utter destruction that taking someone's bending from them could unleash on a human being. She had been there. The memory forced her to step slowly but with purpose into the garden where Aang sat, blissfully unaware.

They hadn't seen each other since _that_ time when he had confronted her with her abandonment. As he opened his eyes she was shocked by how much they seemed to have aged. The weary, tired eyes looked strange on the boyish figure of the young avatar. Guilt stabbed through her as Katara realised that it was all down to her and here she was to make it that bit worse.

Without a word, Aang stood to leave. He held a deep suspicion that no amount of meditation would ever make seeing her even the tiniest bit less painful.

"Wait!" the desperation in her voice froze him and though he willed himself to continue his exit he found himself turning to face her. She looked like she hadn't slept in weeks, her skin seemed paler, less vibrant than he remembered. There was a frenzy about her that he recognised but struggled to place. Quickly he scanned through all their adventures together, wincing at more painful memories. Nope, he'd never seen her like this then. Suddenly, the woman before him and the event fell into place. The first day he had returned to the Fire Nation, as she had begged him to let her run to Zuko. She'd had the same desperate expression marring her features then. The idea stung him, she had never felt such an emotion in all her time with him. He began to walk away again when she spoke again.

"Please, Aang."

Turning this time he lowered his eyes to find her on the ground. Kneeling. He realised in a split second that it was not weakness that brought her to the ground, she had knelt of her own volition. He didn't like it, it didn't suit her.

"Stand up, Katara." he muttered sternly.

"Aang, I have to ask you to something." He didn't miss how her voice faltered through the words, how evident it was that it was costing her to even be here. Only this made him stop and listen. He waited for her to continue.

Glancing quickly up, she ascertained that she had got his attention before quickly ducking her head down again, so low her eyes blurred as they tried to focus on the stone paving mere millimetres from her face.

"I don't want to ask this of you, Aang." she began stiffly. "Believe me when I say I would given anything to never hurt you again, to never have hurt you in the first place."

She ignored the scoff from Aang and forced herself to continue. For Zuko, she reminded herself. But where to begin?

"When I went to the battle to help Zuko I got in trouble. I was hit by the Hēi àn and I nearly died, well I…I did die" she winced at the memory of the pain. "I died and Zuko made a silly bargain. He didn't even realise it would work. He offered the gods anything if I could be brought back to life. Whether it was the Gods or the Hēi àn, someone took that bargain, Aang. Aang, he lost his fire bending!" she finished in a rush, tears choking off the words.

Aang couldn't help but be shocked, Zuko had traded his fire bending for Katara's life? Without their powers a bender might as well be soulless, it would be kinder to kill them. He shuddered at the mere thought of the suffering such a loss would cause. But he would have done the same for Katara, wouldn't he? He would. Right? With a shock he realised that he couldn't be entirely sure in that promise. A part of him, small but there, recoiled from the prospect so completely that he wondered if, in the moment, he would be able to go through with such a transaction. But what did this story mean to him? Why had Katara bothered to come and…

"Oh."

Slowly, Katara's actions began to make sense. She had not come here to complain or commiserate, she had come to beg. Looking at her shaking, fragile form on the floor he was flooded by feelings of sympathy and satisfaction. He was disgusted with himself for feeling remotely happy that these events had occurred, it wasn't who he was but he couldn't help but enjoy Katara needing him again, even if it was for the sake of another man.

"I don't know if I can, Katara. I'm sorry."

Despite his hostility he genuinely was unsure as to whether he was able to restore bending abilities. Uncomfortable with the sight of Katara so weakened he began to walk away once more. She was on her feet following him before he'd even reached the edge of the small garden.

"You took away Ozai's." she called, accusation ringing through her voice. Aang kept walking though the guilt weighed heavily on his shoulders. He tried desperately to convince himself that it was solely his uncertainty that kept him from even trying to help Zuko, after all - he might always make it worse. Although whether that was even possible he didn't know.

"Please, Aang!"

Despair.

"Aang!"

Utter hopelessness.

"If you won't do it for me do it for the people of the Fire Nation." Katara flung out her last card. He paused.

"He's the only one who can do his job and you know it. He's the best chance this Nation had got of recovering. People are suffering out there, Aang! They are dying of famine and disease and you know as well as I do that Zuko _can _fix it but not like this." She sensed his indecision, his panic and decided to push it just that little bit further. It was her last chance.

"I know the Fire Nation will collapse without him, Aang. And I know you know it too."

She held her breath. Everything in her future rested on this one moment, on Aang's decision. Seeing his shoulders slump she knew she had won before he even turned to face her but it was a bitter victory as guilt crushed any happiness she might have felt.

"I genuinely don't know if I can do it, Katara." Aang mumbled. "But I will try. For the Fire Nation." he quickly asserted. His pride refused to allow him to admit he would have done it for her anyway. She might no longer love him, might never have loved him, but he had always been hers entirely.

"Take me to him."

* * *

They found Zuko sitting in the middle of the arena, dust covering his training trousers and his fists gripping a towel so hard his knuckles had turned a ghostly white. His eyes were closed tighly in concentration. Aang couldn't hold back a gasp at the sight of him, pain was etched as deep as his frown across his face. Guilt surged through him as he realised he had wilfully prolonged another human's suffering. He was the avatar. It was not his place to let his personal emotions mar his actions. As much as it pained him at times he had accepted long ago that he was destined for higher things. He was not allowed to be human in moments like this. Once he remembered his duty he found it surprisingly easy to clear his mind of the bitterness, the hatred - it was still there, it always would be, but it ghosted around in the background now. His purpose was all that mattered and the Fire Nation needed this man. Standing in front of Zuko he waited for him to open his eyes and stand. Both man was surprised to find their own guilt, their own apology reflected back in the other's eyes - Zuko for knowing what his and Katara's love had done to the young Avatar and Aang for delaying Zuko's salvation. They nodded at each other. No words were needed to convey their small but necessary momentary truce.

"I really don't know what I'm doing, Zuko." The taller man nodded, he was beyond hope or expectations by this point anyway.

"But I promise I will try."

Closing his eyes, Aang allowed himself to disappear, to lose his body and to reawaken in the avatar state. He heard the voices and thoughts of everyone for miles around, felt their emotions wash through him. He wondered briefly if he would ever reach a point where that would stop bewildering him. Concentrating, he focused on the colours, scanning through them until he reached Zuko's - his colour, his soul. It burned a passionate red. That was all he could say to describe it. It was not orangey red, nor scarlet. There was not a single tinge of any other colour. He burned in the truest shade of red. But the edges were blurred. Almost as if they were trying to pull away from each other. Zuko was destroying himself.

Aang thought back to that time with Ozai, remembered the rush of power as he had absorbed Ozai's power. But how to reverse it? He remembered what he had seen on that rocky mountain top. It had been like a ribbon, a fiery, burning ribbon ripping from Ozai and merging through Aang's skin to become a part of him. Perhaps if he just….

Gathering every single part of focus he could muster Aang visualised that moment again but in reverse. Touching one hand to Zuko's forehead and another over the scar in the centre of his chest Aang jolted as he felt power surge within him. Concentrating harder than he ever had in his life, he saw the ribbon of light begin to emerge from him, felt the slight lightness as the weight of it left him. More suddenly than he expected, than he hoped even, the ribbon found its way to Zuko. The line joining them for that moment revealed to Aang Zuko's soul - his every thought, feeling, memory. He saw his dreams of finding his mother, felt the absolute dazzling purity of the love he felt for Katara contrasted against the bitterness that he had directed at her for his own hatred of his own weakness. Despite himself, Aang understood exactly what Zuko was feeling. He understood because it was everything he had felt recently. With one final shudder, Aang felt the power leave him. Though he felt lighter somehow, he did not feel the same destruction that he had seen through Zuko's eyes because he had not given up his own power.

Blinking, Zuko opened his eye and looked down at himself. Running a hand across his scar he felt the familiar heat within him. Hardly daring to believe it was possible he raised his hand and conjured the smallest of flames in his palm. Clenching his fist and extinguishing it quickly, he repeated the action with the other hand. He didn't want to trust this was real because if it wasn't, if he was still powerless he didn't know how he could go on. Standing quickly, he turned and swung a quick kick towards the farthest end of the arena. Elation rushed through him as a swift arc of fire followed his foot. There was no way this could be a dream. He could feel the fire in his veins again, feel it burn his very bones in a way that only a fire bender could ever appreciate. No dream could conjure such a real illusion. Turning back to Aang he opened and shut his mouth, furiously searching for words that could describe exactly his explosive gratitude. Aang shook his head, the smallest of smiles playing across his features - the first since his conversation with Katara. He couldn't resist the small drops of happiness that trickled through him at saving someone from such abject misery.

Zuko, at last, looked to the last person in the arena. Katara. His Katara. His Katara whom he had wronged so thoroughly. With his soul returned to him he began to realise just how brutal he had been to her, how little she had deserved it.

"Katara, I…"

"Don't." she smiled serenely at him, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. And then she was in his arms. Clinging to him as desperately as he had clung to her bare hours before. He kissed her again, but gently this time, pouring the apologies she refused to listen to into the movements of his lips against hers. He felt her tears wet his cheeks and he pulled away to wipe them from her eyes. He repeated his vow to himself once more: he would protect her. From everything, the world, the Hēi àn, even himself. He would never allow himself to hurt her like this again, nor anything else. He belonged to her completely and he was thankful to the very core of his being that, by some miracle, she loved him in return.

"I love you." he kissed her lightly. "I love you." another butterfly kiss landed on her eyelid "I love you." another "I love" again. Over and over Zuko released the feelings he had resisted on and off for years now. "I love you."

With the smile of an angel she raised a finger to his lips, silencing him.

"Zuko, my Zuko." they both smiled at the whispered words. "I love you too." And they kissed.

And in their happiness, their moment of complete and perfect bliss, could anyone blame them for not noticing the exit of the third person in that arena?

As Aang slowly slid through the imposing wooden doors he risked one more look back at the heavenly couple. Though the sight was like a dagger through his heart he was surprised to find the wound was clean. It stung, burnt even but there was no infection. He had finally let go of his hatred.

* * *

_(A.N. Yup. I felt so bad about how long I'd left it that I got straight onto writing a new and longer chapter. I was going to cut it just before Katara went to find Aang but I figured anyone still reading this definitely deserved more than that for their eternally appreciated perseverance. I hope this update is long and soon enough for you Avatar Renara lol.)_


	22. Need Me

_**Chapter 22: Need me**_

Drawing away from Katara, Zuko laid one gentle butterfly kiss against her right temple. He softly brushed a stray hair from her face, tucked it behind her ear then leant down to kiss the sensitive spot on her collarbone, the spot he had imagined kissing ever since he had taunted her with her mother's necklace. As he rested his lips on her fragrant skin - one hand tilting her head back, the other settled at the base of her spine - he felt the shiver make its way up her body. Delight raced through him as he heard her quickly inhale then pause, the breath catching in her throat. He couldn't help but wonder what other sounds she might make.

Pulling back again he stared into the eyes he loved so dearly, shocked to see his own intensity matched in them; shocked and dangerously aroused. Running his hand down her arm he took hold of her hand and raised it to his lips, never once breaking eye contact. With deliberate slowness he kissed each finger tip before clasping them between his own and, with a laugh that screamed of the elation he felt, set off at a sprint down the long corridors of his palace, dragging the love of his life after him.

Confused servants blurred past, Zuko ignored them; for once in his entire empty life he didn't care what people would think of him. All that mattered was the feel of the cool, silky hand inside his. He heard a breathless giggle behind him and slowed for the mere second it took him to turn and see Katara. Not for the first time that day he felt the breath knocked out of him. He kept expecting to become desensitised to her beauty, her grace, Her. But every time he saw her he realised afresh that his life had been and would be entirely pointless without her. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he'd realised it, but he could now acknowledge beyond any doubt that his entire world was held in place by the young water bender. How strange life was.

Finally he reached his private quarters, dismissed the guards at the entrance (making a note to wipe their smug smirk from their faces later) and opened the heavy doors before pulling Katara in after him. He closed the doors quietly, suddenly afraid of the foreign suspense racing around his room. He walked slowly to the large window. It was his favourite spot in his entire palace. How many hours had he spent looking through it, watching the people of his kingdom. How lonely it had felt then. Even on the rare occasions he had allowed Mai this far into his private life he had always felt there was some invisible barrier between the two of them, between him and everyone. Now, with Katara at his side, in his life, he couldn't ever imagine feeling alone again. It was like she had completed him.

As if to prove this, he felt her arms encompass him from behind, her forehead rest neatly between his shoulder blades. A sigh escaped his lips. He'd never felt the relief she brought him before and he still struggled to quite believe it was real.

"Did it hurt?" she asked quietly, her voice tip-toeing across the silence to him.

He didn't even need to think to understand what she was talking about and he couldn't help the shudder that racked through his bones as he remembered the feeling of complete powerlessness.

"Yes…" he paused, unsure how to explain what it felt like to lose your bending. "But it wasn't the pain, I've felt worse. It was like I'd died. No." he corrected himself, realising exactly how it felt, "It was like everyone I'd ever loved had died, had been ripped away from me."

He felt the slim arms around his waist tighten, felt the softest of lips brush against his shoulder.

"I'd do it again." he whispered.

The arms stiffened.

"It is true that I didn't know exactly what it would cost, how it would feel. But even now, knowing what it does to a bender, I'd do it again. I would give anything for you, Katara."

Turning around, he allowed his eyes to travel all over the girl in front of him. She was so young, they both were, but hadn't they experienced harsher suffering and greater victories in their short time-spans than most people would find in their entire life. Yes they were young. But they were old too. He was old enough to know that he loved the woman, the girl, the water bender in front of him. He was old enough to know that he could never, _would _never live without her again. He was old enough to know that she was it for him. Everything that had ever mattered stood before him in Katara. His breath slowed as he took in everything that had happened to them in the last few months, how they had changed, grown around each other, twisting together like climbing ivy, inseparable.

"I love you." he whispered, suddenly scared that it might all be a dream.

Daring to reach out, he pulled her close, running the back of his hand slowly down the side of her chest, skimming her breast as it passed. Her responsive gasp encouraged him, though at this point the was unsure he would have been able to stop anyway. Leaning down, he kissed again the sensitive spot on her collarbone, then trailing kisses away and then back, unable to resist the shudders that run through her every time he finds it. Meanwhile, he was keenly aware of the small hands tracing the contours and lines of hard earned muscles that rippled beneath his skin. Tensing and relaxing as her hands passed over, responding eagerly to her touch.

Raising his lips up her neck and along he jaw, Zuko came to a stop hovering over her lips, teasing her, tantalising her, their foreheads pressed together, their lashes fluttering into each others'. In that moment he was desperate for her to love him back, to want him back, to need him with the same agonising urgency with which he needed her. If she didn't, to be rejected now, spurned when he was so close… He didn't want to think what he'd do in his tortured state.

"Love me, Katara. Need only me." he half commanded, half begged in a breathless whisper.

"I do, Zuko" she murmured. "I'm yours."

* * *

_(A.N. Good God! I'm back. I'm actually back. Even I can't believe it. So I'm back and I plan to pick up right where we left of and jump in with this teaser chapter. I would like to say sorry to followers and readers that I abandoned about two years ago. The last couple of years have been a bit stressful and rough for me but it's no excuse. I personally know how much it sucks to get into a story then have the writer jump ship. Feel free to comment to castigate me for my shoddy fanfic devotion or comment to say nice things, that would be nice too._

_Also - thanks to **ScarlettDancers **for pointing out that I had, at one point, put Katniss instead of Katara. Never fear, it's not some weird crossover now I've just been reading A LOT of Hunger Games fanfic recently.)_


	23. Protect You

_**Chapter 23: Protect You**_

The soldier had seconds between slamming open the door to the Fire Lord's quarter's and dodging the fireball tearing through the short distance between Zuko and him. Jumping to the side, he landed awkwardly and franticly began patting his extremely singed cloak. Glancing up fearfully, he saw the young Fire Lord completely engulfed in fire, one hand clenched at his side in an angry fist, the other taking aim again. His eyes were glaring at him, the black piercing his soul. Fire began to collect in his outstretched palm while the poor soldier prepared to dive again when all of a sudden the fire was extinguished and a drenched Zuko spluttered, looking around in surprise. Katatra stood behind him, dusting off her hand and satisfied with the impressive rain cloud she had summoned in such a short time.

"Zuko," she began her lecture, "You can't just go around fireballing your soldiers, you'll need them soon."

"But, Katara," Zuko shouted back, half pleading, half infuriated by both her and the soldier, "He interrupted us as we were about to…"

"As we were about to what, Zuko?" She interrupted, she was in no mood for her and the Fire Lord's private activities to become palace gossip.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught the soldier half crawling, half shuffling, trying to sneak out of the room.

"You! You stay where you are! Now that you've barged in you may as well tell us why."

The poor man coughed, embarrassed to have been caught, shuffled his feet and finally stood to attention before mumbling his message.

"Louder, man, how am I meant to decipher your mumbles?!" Zuko was in a bad mood, to put it mildly, and patience wasn't normally one of his virtues even on a good day.

"Sir, your Heighness, Great Fire Lord," Zuko rolled his eyes, his third and final warning. Three strikes and you're….the soldier took the hint.

"Azula is gone."

The air froze, sucking the heat from even Zuko as shivers ran through the room. No one spoke for what felt like an age until a quiet whisper came from behind Zuko.

"She's alive?" Katara couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't process that one of the few people on this planet she was afraid of could still be around and _free! _Now she was free, she'd escaped, but where from? Where had Zuko been hiding her?

"Get out." Zuko muttered to the soldier.

"Sir, I…""I said GET OUT!"

One last fireball was all the hint the soldier needed to firmly shut the door behind him and put as much distance between him and his irate leader.

"She is alive?!" Katara was louder this time, anger coursing through her, making her shake. Zuko had lied to her. Well, maybe not lied but he sure as hell hadn't mentioned that his psychopathic sister who had come pretty damn close to killing them both was alive.

"Katara, I meant to tell you, I just didn't know if -"

"I don't want excuses, Zuko. I don't want any more bloody excuses. You tell me right now why you didn't tell me!" She could feel her throat scratching as each word came out louder and harsher. "Tell me what's going on, Zuko, or I swear to La I will get straight back on that boat. How the hell could you not think this was worth sharing with me? You want me to marry you but you don't want to be open about any nut job sisters you have stashed away!?""I thought we had it under control. I didn't think I needed to burden you with anything else"

"Where?" Katara suddenly asked, her eyes narrowing to glare at him.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Where did you keep her? Where was she?"Zuko knew this answer wasn't going to go down well. He knew that of everyone Azula was probably the person who scared her most. He had wanted so badly to protect her from that. Of course he would have told her if he had thought she was a threat any more but he had it all under control. 'Had' being the operative word here. He had had Azula under control and now something had gone horrible wrong and he needed to get to the bottom of it fast. Without looking at Katara he headed for the door. Just as he reached for the door handles, it froze before him and suddenly what was once a door was now a thick wall of ice. Zuko couldn't help but marvel at her power, the Fire Kingdom was at a constantly high temperature, how much energy must it be taking to maintain an ice wall here?

"Where were you keeping her, Zuko?"

With a heavy sigh, he turned to face his raging fiancée. "In the dungeons.""The dungeons where?""The dungeons below the palace." He admitted with a sigh of defeat.

The ice collapsed, puddling around their feet before rushing back to Katara and seemingly absorbing into her.

"Below the palace?" She whispered. "You kept her below the palace, below where I sleep and you never thought to tell me? You never thought to _warn _me?"

"I had it under control."

"You _had _it under control! _**Had **_it under control. Even then, apparently not too much control because she's out and now I'm going to guess we're pretty high on her list of payback. How could you not tell me!?"

Katara was scared and she hated it. Her nightmares were nearly entirely about that night. Flashbacks of Zuko throwing himself in front of her repeating themselves on loop, just as they were doing right now. She hadn't even been sure she loved him then and that moment had still scared her more than anything else in her entire life and there had been some pretty scary bits for her. Fear made her weak; it dulled her mind and slowed her bending. She was half the bender she could be when she was scared and Zuko knew that but still hadn't warned her. She was vaguely aware of Zuko talking but couldn't focus enough to understand, she just stared blankly at him, blinking back the tears as she pictures him mangled and burnt, the electricity scarring his torso, killing him.

"Katara," Zuko took her face in his warm hands, staring intently into the panicky eyes. "Katara, nothing will happen, I swear it to you. You will never be hurt again, I'll protect you."

He meant it. More sincerely than he meant most things. He knew his life, his bending, his kingdom would all be forfeit to keep her safe. She would never again know pain if he had anything to say about it.

She finally focused on his eyes, reaching up slowly to draw her middle finger along his lips.

"Who will protect you?" she murmured and suddenly Zuko understood why she was so scared. Taking her in his arms and laying kiss after gentle kiss on her hair, he let himself believe for a moment that she might actually love him as much as he loved her.

* * *

The next morning, waking early he headed to the arena to train. There was an emergency meeting at midday to discuss Azula's escape but he could easily get a few hours training in before then. Pushing open the large doors he was surprised to see a figure already there. Spinning, leaping and stepping more lightly than a bird, Katara commanded the arena and dutifully servants stopped to watch, stunned at her graceful power. Large waved of water crashed beneath her seconds before an ice storm erupted above. She held a water whip in one hand while the other's most subtle movements commanded eruptions of burning steam. She had learnt to use the heat of the fire nation to her advantage, evaporating water on the hot stones to create steam so hot it could melt a human being. She was a goddess in any element.

That was until the wave beneath her disappeared without warning and someone else's steam, though gentler, erupted around her. Dropping to the ground and landing with a roll, she quickly glanced around to ascertain who had ruined her practise. Zuko was laughing hysterically at the other side of the ring. She was just assembling a huge ball of water to send his way when Zuko, still laughing, shook his head and pointed upwards and behind her, into the stands. Looking in the same direction she noticed Iroh with a tray of tea walking out of a side door, his shoulders bouncing with a chuckle. People tended to forget just how strong Iroh used to be and even still was, Katara would not make that mistake again.

Picking herself up she assumed a ready stance opposite Zuko, smirking at him.

"Well? Come on then. Or are you going to let old Uncle Iroh do all the hard work for you?"

"I thought we'd established I wasn't meant to fight you?" Zuko shouted back, smiling at his beautiful - albeit dusty - fiancée.

"You're not." She answered, smiling wickedly as her water whip grew and a new wave surged behind her.

"You're defending yourself!" She shouted as she sent both weapons towards Zuko.

The fight that followed was beautiful, more like a dance than anything else. The two benders drew patterns and swirls of water and fire around each other, both holding back just enough so as not to really hurt the other. When fire burned with water, the result was truly breathtaking, as it turned out.

They finished, exhausted, pressed against each other. Zuko had hold of both of Katara's wrists while Katara had a knee ready to strike somewhere Zuko very much wanted left un-struck.

"Truce?" He panted, delighted by the laughter in her eyes.

"Truce." She nodded, before collapsing to the ground.

Instead of releasing his hold on her he allowed himself to fall down with her. They laid side by side, hands clasped, staring breathlessly into the sky. Looking over at her but without moving, Zuko spoke softly.

"I was worried you were going to be angry at me still, about the Azula thing."

"Oh, I am." She replied, still staring at the sky. "But I think I've worked something out."

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Zuko murmured, his eyes fluttering shut even though he knew he was due in his meeting in just under an hour.

"About who's going to protect you."

Zuko froze. They had discussed this last night, or rather raged at each other for hour on end. Zuko had protested there was no reason to worry yet, much less waste men installing a constant bodyguard around him. Her argument had essentially come down to the fact that he was an idiot. Eventually, they had been so worn out they had simply nodded goodnight and gone to bed, each still quietly fuming.

"I am." She said in a voice so solid that Zuko was sure she was leaving no room for discussion.

In a split second, she was above him. Leaning down with a smile, kissing him softly, quickly, before sprinting away, turning back only once to giggle at his frustration before running to her room.

* * *

_(A.N. A bit lacklustre this chapter, I'm afraid. I've got to sort of filter through the filler chapters before anything real can happen. But it will, eventually. Thank you to anyone still with me. I will try to update as often as I can, now that I'm back. I'm currently holding down a bar job, an internship and caring for my Grandad so it's all a bit hectic in this girl's life right now but I will try to be better at updating.  
_

_Hope you're enjoying this story so far, for once feel free to NOT review this chapter - I'm none too proud of it lol. But thanks for reading all the same!)_


End file.
